Another Path
by Zeta The Sixth
Summary: A... hmm... a side-quel of my other story "Change". What if things had gone differently? What if Pink Diamond had rebelled?
1. Ch 1: Rogue Diamond

**So, starting a short-ish story, this probably won't last nearly as long as the other one, but hey… at least it's something. Anyways, for anyone just seeing this, this is an… alternate take of my original story "Change" and you should read at least up to chapter 21 of that story** _ **then**_ **start this one, or you'll be totally lost. But then maybe you want to do that because that's just how you roll you crazy maverick you. So, on to the show.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Rogue Diamond

 _One month later…_

* * *

"Pink, how are things?" came, as always, the business-first tone of Yellow Diamond.

"We're not falling behind, if that's what you called for." Pink replied.

"Good. No problems or delays?"

"We're on schedule, Yellow."

"What about the… natives?"

"We've had no trouble with them thus far, I doubt they will be any such kind in the future." Pink replied.

"All the same, be wary. Organics can be quite the nuisance if you aren't diligent in their control."

"I assure you Yellow, I will do whatever is necessary when the time comes." Pink said, her face serious.

Yellow took this as solemn determination and the edges of her straight face nearly curved upwards, but only nearly. "Good. Yellow out." The screen went blank and disappeared.

Pink sighed. Between Yellow micromanaging and "dealing" with the organics, she was maintaining a quite the balancing act. She didn't want to spring her ideas on her sisters too early so she had to do what she could practically in secret. If they found out what she was doing before she was ready, at best they'd tell her to drop it and follow the colony's plan, and at worst… she didn't like thinking what _that_ would entail, her imagination painting a progressively darker picture every time she did.

Luckily for her, her four companions happened to walk in. She smiled as they approached. "So, Flint, 'Amethyst'… how went the strike team?"

Flint smirked. "Was there any ever doubt? We crushed them in less than a day, freed the humans and went on our way."

Amethyst returned to her true form. "Convincing the other gems of the importance of this mission, however, was a bit tricky. Frankly, I doubt we would have been able to get it done at all without orders coming directly from you."

"You didn't hurt them did you?"

"Err… define 'hurt'." The grey quartz asked.

Onyx shot her a look before returning her gaze to Pink. "They'll be fine, Pink."

"So, how are you preventing the sarrukh from capturing more humans?' she asked.

"We set up patrols around their usual hunting paths, anytime we see a human come near or see a human captured we intervene."

"Anything new to report about them?"

"The humans or the sarrukh?" Onyx asked.

"Either."

"Well… no."

Pink's face dropped. "No? What do you mean no? Nothing? You've learned nothing?"

"Nothing significant." Flint replied.

"Honestly Pink, whatever you're hoping to find that's gonna impress your sisters, we haven't found it yet."

Pink raised a brow. "You say that like you got a better idea."

Onyx seemed a bit apprehensive but spoke after a moment. "I do, but I'm not sure if you're going to approve."

"Oh, this ought to be good."

"If we want to find out more about them, find this 'quality' about them that you're looking for, I think we need to..." She looked up as if the word she was looking for was somehow suspended from the ceiling. "…appropriate some subjects."

"You want to capture these humans. Imprison them." Pink clarified.

"I wouldn't put it like that, I mean it's not like we would mistreat them or anything."

Pink shook her head. "That isn't the point, Onyx. We're trying to save these organics, not enslave them."

"Actually, my Diamond, it isn't a bad idea." Peridot interjected as the Diamond turned her gaze to her. "We could possibly build facilities to house the organics. With Onyx's expertise of them and my own specialty with design, I think we can create quite the comfortable facility for them." Pink gave a strange look something between disapproving and curious. "I know you may not like the idea, but this could be our best chance."

The Diamond's hand went to her chin. She _didn't_ like it. Not one thing about it. But progress was stalled. The methods they had been using were of no further use. And she still needed something to show to her sisters.

Pink closed her eyes. "I don't like this, but I see I have little recourse. Onyx, Peridot, you're tasked with designing and implementing this facility. Take what… subjects… you need but _only_ what you need. Understand?"

Peridot did a little bow. "I'll have it designed within the week and built within the month."

"Good. See to it." Peridot and Onyx left the room and Pink looked to Flint. "In the meantime, I want you to watch over the organic patrols, make sure my orders are followed to the letter."

"Got it." Flint replied before walking away as well.

With just the two of them left Pink looked down to her pearl. "So, where is White Pearl?" she asked.

"I was training her a bit earlier, but she said she wanted to try practicing on her own for a little while. I'm sure she'll be along shortly." The two of them heard the sound of approaching footsteps and turned to look. "And look who it is, your new protégé." Pearl said as they watched Rose Quartz draw nearer.

Pink narrowed her eyes and said in almost a whisper. "Quiet you."

Pearl just shrugged as the quartz continued to approach.

She saluted as she reached the top stair. "My Diamond, you summoned me?"

Pink turned to her. "indeed, I did. You see, I wanted your opinion on something."

"I would be glad to give it." She replied.

"You are aware of my intentions to mitigate the damage to the Earth, yes?"

"Your intentions yes, your plan… well… no." Rose replied. "You asked me to help you save the planet, and I'm all for it." She glanced through the glass to the Earth below. "But you didn't say how."

"You are aware of my sisters, yes?"

"Blue Diamond, Yellow Diamond, and White Diamond? Of course." Rose replied, noticing a slight wince from Pink at the mention of the eldest gem, but not commenting on it.

"And you are aware that this is my colony, my first colony. Yes?"

"I am." Rise said, unsure where the Diamond was going with this. "Not to be disrespectful, my Diamond. But what are you getting at?"

The Diamond was silent for a moment the she suddenly stood up. "Let's head down to the surface."

Both gems nearly did a double take, this sudden interest to leave coming out of nowhere. "The surface? My Diamond what-?" Pearl began before her Diamond quickly looked to her.

"Pearl, stay here watch over things while I'm away." she then turned back to Rose. "Come, let's get going." With that Pink began walking down the stairs.

Rose quickly snapped back to reality, shaking her head a little. "Yes, of course. I'm right behind you, my Diamond."

As they reached the stairs to descend a white blur suddenly came rushing up the stairs, the high-pitched voice of a pearl accompanying it. "Sorry I took so long I-Oof!" she slammed right into Rose and bounced off the much larger gem.

Pink gave a small look of surprise as did Rose who bent down, hand extended. "Sorry about that. Are you alright?"

Pearl took the hand without looking and quickly got up, brushing herself off. "Yes. And if anyone should be apologizing it should be-" she stopped as she beheld the gem in front of her, Pearl's face suddenly gaining a look of awe as the last word tumbled out almost inaudibly. "-me."

Pink snapped everyone back to reality as she coughed into her hand. "Well, we should be going."

"Ah, right." Rose replied then looking to Pearl. "It was nice to meet you." She said giving a wide grin.

The two descended the stairs and Pearl watched them leave as her Pink counterpart walked up to her. "Hey, White, you alright?"

"Who was that?" she asked.

Pearl looked down the descending staircase, a small frown upon her features. "The new favorite."

* * *

Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz found themselves walking on a shoreline. The Diamond had put down a small ship nearby and suggested they do so. The quartz wondered if she should say something, to break the silence, yet every time she was about to she could swear her Diamond was about to start speaking and would immediately shut up, only for Pink to also remain silent. This went on for the better part of a half-hour before Rose finally decided to say something regardless.

"My Diamond, not to be rude, but you did summon me for a reason, didn't you?"

"Yes, because I wanted your opinion."

"And again, I would be happy to give it, but I need to know what it is you want my opinion on."

The Diamond then stopped walking, so Rose also stopped. Pink suddenly turned towards the ocean and sat down, crisscrossing her legs and staring out to the horizon. Rose watched her but said nothing. Then her Diamond spoke. "Why do you want to save this planet?" she asked.

Rose was caught off guard by the sudden question, nevertheless, she answered. "There's so much unique life here. Beings with such simple, yet such fascinating lives. Everything we are as gems? That's who we are, it's who we'll always be, forever. But even moment to moment these creatures are always changing, not always for the better but even when it's not they don't give up, they just change in a different way. I think they're worth saving, even if it means we can't make a colony here."

Pink smiled, still looking off into the distance. "I think so too." She picked up a handful of sand and held it up to her face, now looking at it. After a moment, several small crabs started to crawl out, their pinchers snapping. "I want to save them because I think we can learn so much from them."

Rose raised an eyebrow at this. "What do you mean?"

The Diamond set down the sand and the crab scurried off into the ocean or buried themselves. "How old are you, Rose Quartz?"

"I've been out of the ground for a year and several months now."

"Do you know how long I've been around? Twenty-one thousand years, and I spent most of that time on colony worlds leaning everything I could about them. Do you want to know what I learned about each and every one?"

"What's that?"

The Diamond threw her hands into the air. "They're all the same! Each and every one!" Rose said nothing but gave a look that asked for elaboration. "Some are big, some are small, some were planets, others were moons but in the end? All the same." She turned to look at Rose. "Our kind has reached a period of stagnation that's been going on since we left Homeworld for the very first time. But then look at this planet!" she said motioning to all around them. "They can't even stay the same for longer than an hour. But I find that so fascinating because they're constantly improving themselves, but us? If we can't do something we are never going to do it. We may design a new type of gem that could do whatever we need, but not any of the gems before it. Instead of us expanding our empire further to make ourselves greater, I think we should look inside, and change just like them."

"So, you want to save them… because you want to _use_ them?" Rose asked.

Pink detected a tone and softened her eyes, a small frown now showing. "You disapprove?"

Rose was hesitant but spoke anyways. "It's just… shouldn't we leave these creatures to their own devices? You make it sound like you want to enslave them, harness their power."

"You may have a point. It may not be our place to influence these creatures. We are far from Homeworld and we have little business interfering in their lives, but…"

"But something… no someone is putting you up to this, aren't they?" Pink was silent as she turned her head away from the quartz now focusing back on the horizon. Rose's eyes then widened with realization. "It's the other Diamonds, isn't it?!"

Pink nodded. "Those planets I mentioned? Those colonies? A great many of them were once inhabited by organics, just like here, but when we completed the colony…"

"…You destroyed their home, you destroyed them." Rose finished.

"Not me... But, now that I've been put in charge of a potential colony, they do want the same for this world as they did for those worlds."

The quartz took a step forward, touching her Diamond's arm. "But… but you can't! That would be horrible!"

"I'm glad you think so, Rose Quartz. I think so as well." She said glancing down at her but not turning her head.

"You have to stand up to them! Tell them you won't do it!"

"You don't know what that's like Rose. They raised me, everything I know, everything I _am_. It's because of them. If I told them I wouldn't build a colony because of all the life here Yellow and Blue would not react well at all. At best, they'd say that organic life here is inconsequential and that I have a duty to our society by making this place another colony and if I still refused they'd just replace me and complete the colony anyways. At worst…" She sighed. "At worst, they'd think I'd gone insane, perhaps imprison me, or perhaps… even worse than that."

She was silent for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "It's why I'm…" she stopped, should she let Rose know of this? Was she really the one to pin her hopes on? Well, it's not like she had any better options. "It's why I've been studying some of the organics."

"Studying them?"

"Their habits and mannerisms, what they can do, their potential. I want to know everything about them. It's also why I had you Rose Quartzes made." Pink explained.

"You mean how I can communicate with some of the organics? Like how you can?"

"Exactly. With your abilities, you'd be a natural bridge between us and organics."

"But why?"

"Because if I can find something, _anything_ , that could show that killing these creatures would be far more wasteful then preserving them, I could save them. Though they'd still be part of our empire, at least they'd be alive and you'd be there to help them through it."

"And if your sisters still want to annihilate the life here? What then? Would you fight them?" Rose asked, her face serious.

Pink turned to her fully. "Your fellow gems, your sisters, who popped form the wall with you, you must be close with some of them. Yes?"

"A few." The quartz admitted.

"Would you want to fight any of them?"

"No…"

"And neither do I."

"But what if it comes down to choosing between this world and all its life, or your sisters?"

Pink's frown grew deeper. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

* * *

 _2 Years Later…_

* * *

Peridot was practically brimming as she and Onyx stood side by side before Pink Diamond. Flint and Pearl were also present as well, standing on either side of the chair while she faced them. "I think you're going to like this, my Diamond. We've really come though."

"You'd better hope so. Today's the big day." Flint reminded.

"Don't you worry. There's no way they can refute our logic." Onyx replied confidently, once again in her Amethyst disguise.

"Let's hope so." Pink said looking through the glass ceiling as she saw the blue vessel of her sister approach. "The future of this planet will be decided in the next few minutes."

Within only a few moments Blue Diamond and her Pearl stepped up from the stairs. Pink rose from her seat and walked towards her. They briefly embraced before Blue formally addressed her sister. "Pink, you told me you have something important to show me?"

The younger Diamond smiled. "I do, but we need to get in contact with Yellow as well."

Blue raised a brow at that. "This must be really important if you're wanting to make sure we're all here."

"I know she can't come from Homeworld, but I still want her to see this." Pink replied as she walked back to her seat and sat down. Pink clapped twice and suddenly the floor opened up and another chair came from beneath, as large and regal as Pink's though a bit off to the side from the console rather than directly in front of it as hers was.

Blue sat down, her pearl by her side, as Pink accessed the console and opened the Diamond communication line. After a few moments Yellow's pearl answered the call. "Yellow Diamond control room how may I direct your call?"

"I want to speak with Yellow Diamond." Pink ordered.

"Connecting now, one moment please."

The face of Yellow Diamond soon appeared before them. If Pink didn't know better she would have said her sister was scowling, but this was simply her neutral relaxed face. "Pink, why have you-" she stopped as she noticed her other sister. "Blue? Why are you there?"

"It seems Pink has something important to show us." Blue replied.

"is that so?" Yellow said before turning back to Pink. "Why have you not informed either of us about this before now?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise." Pink replied.

"I don't like surprises, Pink."

"Come Yellow, let's hear her out, what could be the harm?" Blue asked, supporting her younger sister.

Yellow sighed. "Very well." She crossed her arms on screen. "Get on with it then."

Pink turned to Peridot, moving her chair slightly out of the way. "The floor is yours Peridot."

The green gem looked a bit nervous but Pink's nod and smile calmed her nerves as she stepped up, between the two Diamonds and the console lowered to her height. The holographic display of Yellow moved to the side as a presentation began to unfold before them.

Within moments a finished model of Earth as a planetary colony was before them. "Earth, as you can see in time it will make a fine colony. Eight-nine kindergartens, sixty-seven spires and a galaxy warp within each facet, effect and complete use of all available materials. As you can see it will make a grand colony in time. But, what if I told you there was a better way?" Pink watched as her sisters seemed to share mirrored expressions of slight curiosity and confusion.

Peridot continued the show, typing commands into the console and the finished colony disappearing, to replaced by another different image. Before them stood a human male, in holographic form for all to see. "Presenting the Humans!" she said, her showmanship helping to present her case. "By all estimates the most intelligent organic life on the planet. As you can see they are-" Pink began to turn out as Peridot went on but looked to her sister faces for their reactions.

Blue's face, which had once been only slightly confused and curious seemed to toss the later out as the confusion on her sister's face became more and more evident as the green gem droned on excitedly.

Yellow's face however remained utterly stoic. But as Peridot went on Pink watched the lines of her elder sister's face become more and more defined, a frown clearly forming.

"…as you can see." Peridot said moving to the last part of the presentation. "In conclusion, the colony plans of the Earth should be replaced and the new plan for preservation and cultivation of life here be implemented immediately."

Pink looked back to her sisters with hope. She knew Peridot was a good researcher, she knew facts and statistics like no one else, if anyone could convince her sisters of the tactical importance of sparing Earth, it was her. But as she looked to them her hope significantly faltered.

Blue's face was one of complete confusion. Not of what she had just seen but more of why she had just seen it.

Yellow on the other hand was much different. She had closed her eyes and gripped the bridge of her nose, as if suffering from a massive headache. She then spoke, clearly and with finality. "Everyone but my sisters, leave. Now."

Peridot's own prideful smile had also faltered and she looked to Pink wondering what she did wrong as did the others, but she simply nodded and the group descended the stairs, leaving the Diamonds by themselves.

There was a tense silence as Blue looked unhappily to her younger sister and Yellow seemed to be trying to center herself as she inhaled deeply. "Pink, what is this? What are you doing?" she asked at last.

Pink was now the one who was confused. "What do you mean? I-"

"We gave you instructions on what to do with this planet, all you had to do was follow them. So, I ask again, what are you doing?" Yellow said, eyeing her sister with a narrowed gaze.

"I thought that maybe, a colony wasn't the best idea for this planet. That maybe it could be used for a different purpose." Pink replied.

"If we wanted to use this planet for something else, _we_ would have told _you_ , not the other way around." Yellow said in her reprimanding voice.

"But Yellow, what about the potential here? We could use this planet for so much more then another colony among the thousands we have!" Pink argued.

"You are asking us to lower ourselves to these lesser creatures and work with them to build, what, some sort of reservation for them?! And for what?! Meager returns on all the resources we would be putting into this?!" Yellow argued back.

"But Yellow-!"

"I've heard ENOUGH!" Yellow shouted, slamming a fist onto her throne. "You _will_ do as you have been told and build this colony! You _will_ forget about these ridiculous plans! You _will_ forget about your obsession over these organics! And you _will_ do it immediately! Is that UNDERSTOOD?!" Pink said nothing, a mixture of horror and surprise on her features, never expecting such a response from Yellow. "Yellow Diamond. Out." she said before her screen flickered off and disappeared.

Blue watched the entire scene unfold but remained quiet as her younger sister turned to her. "Blue, surely you see why I did this, what this planet could offer us."

The older diamond simply looked to her sadly, but in a way that spoke of pity for her rather than sympathy. "Pink, she's right. This plan… it's ludicrous. This is the way we've done things. This is the way we've _always_ done things. Just stop with these delusions and finish the colony." With that she stood up and began to leave but Pink caught her around the wrist.

"Please, Blue! Just listen! This can work! I just need you to believe me!" She pleaded.

Blue said nothing, only staring at her sister with that sad, pitying look and Pink's grip relaxed and let go allowing Blue Diamond to walk away. Pink stared off dejectedly at the floor, not knowing what to do, not knowing what to say. Eventually her gems filled in one by one, gathering close to Pink Diamond, but giving her space, all sharing looks of worry for their leader.

"My Diamond, are you…?" Pearl drew closer but Pink pulled away, standing up suddenly.

"I… need to be alone right now." And with that she walked off and descended the stairs.

* * *

 _One week later…_

* * *

Yellow looked upon screen after screen, approving and denying requests and plans for Homeworld and the empire at large. She'd never quite realized how competent her elder sister had been until the duty had been passed on to her. It had dawned on her how little credit White had actually received for her mastery at running things, how little credit she herself had given White.

Suddenly an alarm on her console sounded and she quickly accessed it to see what the problem was. A ship of some sort was entering Homeworld's atmosphere.

And _fast._

She watched the monitor as it caught fire and barreled itself into the Diamonds' personal landing pad.

Yellow accessed her intercom. "Investigate that immediately!" she barked with irritation.

Gems quickly did as they were told, circling the crater until it was surrounded completely. Then a few quartzes made their way down to the glowing-red ship.

"Look like the burn through the atmosphere welded it shut." One said as she inspected the door that was once the ship's mode of ingress.

"Not a problem." Another replied as she summoned a blade and with a little effort managed to rip off the door.

Suddenly a stream of gems came flooding from within. Landing in a heap before the quartzes. "What the-"

Yellow watched with confusion as her monitors displayed the scene before her, but the they went to static and after that, a blank screen. Then the monitors flickered to life and suddenly she was face to face with her youngest sister, her face grim and serious.

"Citizens of the Gem Empire, hear me now!" She said, her voice low and calm with deadly seriousness. "I am Pink Diamond. I am the leader of the soon-to-be colony known as Earth. But know this… it is a colony no more." All across the cosmos, gems were stopping what they were doing as they received the signal from Earth. "The ways of the old empire are backwards and outdated. I have been to _every_ colony in our society and have seen only apathy and decay, no more. I will not allow this planet to suffer the same fate, nor will I allow the continued oppression of my sisters upon all other gems, upon all other _life_. And that is why, with great sorrow, I must say this. White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Yellow Diamond, I declare war on _you_." If there was such a thing as silence on a galactic scale, this was probably the closest it had ever some to it. "I fight for the freedom of _all_ gems, and if you wish to fight with us, then take up arms and join me. For all others that stand against us, you will face the fury of the Crystal Gems." Pink then looked dead ahead, as if looking directly at Yellow Diamond herself. "Get ready my sisters, I'm coming for you." The transmission suddenly cut and the screen disappeared.

Yellow sat in silence her face contorted with barely-constrained rage.

* * *

 **I know, I know, lazy as hell… just wait, I got something for ya. Please review.**


	2. Ch 2: First Wave

**Chapter 2, or is it 23?**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 2: First Wave

The recorded went dark and silent and Pink, sitting in her throne, her face a stone mask, suddenly relaxed with a sigh. Her rigid posture gave way to s slump as she brought a hand to her forehead.

All around her, her inner circle wore varying expressions.

Flint's face was a thin line, seeming somewhat apprehensive about what they'd just declared.

Onyx, in her true form, wore a grin, seeming positively ecstatic at the prospect of war with the other Diamonds.

Peridot and the Pearls all wore looks of worry, varying degrees between each of them. Peridot reached out to hold Pink Pearl's hand for support while White Pearl took a step closer to Rose.

Speaking of which, the pink-hued quartz wore a simple frown, her feelings on the matter unclear beyond that.

"That was amazing Pink!" Onyx started breaking the silence and gaining the gazes of all present. "'I'm coming for you!', classic! I mean, sending them a pod full of their loyal soldiers crash landing in front of the Diamond spire? That was brilliant!" I bet they didn't know what hit em'."

Pink sighed, regaining some of her posture as she sat back up, but not all the way, giving a small half-hearted smile as she spoke. "No, I expect not." Pink then looked to the rest of her entourage, noting their expressions. "And the rest of you?"

Flint looked thoughtful, closing her eyes and looking to the ground, slowly shaking her head. "it was too reckless, if we were gonna do something like this we should have waited, be better prepared. As it is? Things aren't looking good."

Onyx turned to her. "Since when have you been one to turn down a fight?"

Flint looked to her. "Since we've decided we're fighting _Diamonds_ , the friggin' gem empire? The greatest military force in perhaps all the cosmos?"

The shape-shifting gem took a single step towards her. "And what should we have done Flint? Wait a year? Ten years? A hundred? A thousand? We could have spent _millennia_ trying to build up enough resources and wouldn't have even a fraction of their capabilities."

"And if we had waited, had we hesitated… the ones to suffer most would be them." Rose said, looking to the Earth through the glass.

"Onyx's right Flint." Peridot said, finally speaking up. "The fact is, our chances would never have increased that much."

Flint's thin-lipped grimace turned into a rueful smile. "Then maybe that's the real mistake here. Trying to fight against unwinnable odds. And for what?" She turned to look at her friends. "For the organics? For 'freedom'? Whatever that means?"

Rose walked up beside Flint, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know the odds seem long, but think about what it could mean if we _win_. The ability to choose our fates, to control our destinies. Allowing all gems to live however they want, no one being forced to do their 'roles' whether they want to or not. The concept of 'choice' for everyone. That's what it means."

The grey quartz chuckled. "To think the newbie would have to be the one to talk me into it." She turned to look at Pink Diamond. "You certainly know how to pick em' huh?"

Pink smiled warmly to her. "Well, I choose you guys, didn't I?"

At her words, all present started to smile, if only a little bit. Her own Pearl finally spoke. "All the same, Flint has a point, taking down the other Diamonds is no easy task."

"Nothing worth having ever comes easy." Onyx replied. "And it's like Rose said, if we win, the rewards will be tremendous. It will change the very core of gem society _forever_."

"But if we lose?" White Pearl asked, her face contorted with worry. "The price we'll pay… the price we'll all pay…"

Rose walked over to Pearl and she looked up at her. "I know you're scared, and none of us are sure what may happen in the future, and it _will_ be dangerous. But, despite all that, are you willing to try?"

White Pearl's expression of fear melted away as she heard Rose's words, standing to full height with a confident smile. "Of course I am, I'd follow you and Pink Diamond anywhere."

"Not like we got a choice at this point." Flint muttered under her breath, earning an elbow to the gut from Onyx.

"I appreciate that Pearl." Rose said, glancing to her before looking to all her gems. "The road ahead is long and dangerous. The choice you made to stay here and fight could mean your doom, and despite all that you stayed, for that I thank you all." Her expression turned serious. "That being said, it will not be long before my sisters send their response, most likely in terms of an overwhelming armed force. It's time to shore up our defenses and give my sisters a proper Earth welcome."

* * *

 _One month later…_

* * *

The response had been slow, surprisingly so. For the first week, there was no sign of a response from Homeworld to Pink's declaration, but on the eighth day after, it began.

Warships had appeared out of nowhere, quickly surrounding the moon base and sieging it. Their military might easily tore through the scant defenses around the fortress and breeched its inner confines.

Unfortunately for them, that had been something Pink had counted on.

As soon as the invading team had gotten to the top of the tower, it had self-destructed. The blast annihilated those inside and a powerful electromagnetic blast was sent out, frying the systems of the warships and sending them crashing into the moon's surface.

Pink Diamond had been alerted to the bomb's detonation as soon as it had been triggered and already had ships on standby ready to take out the survivors. Four small cruisers quickly made their way to the moon and came upon the wreckage. Those who hadn't been poofed or destroyed had tried to resist but for naught. With little to no means of fighting back, they were easily taken after a few overhead passes of the spacecraft. The surviving intact gems were captured and shards gathered, while the warship remains were salvaged.

It had been a good first victory, moral boosting to many and giving hope to those who had thought fighting against the empire a fruitless endeavor, doomed to failure.

But the Diamonds certainly had not taken this lying down either.

Another week passed in silence and this time seven warships came, bypassing the Earth completely and each heading towards a different section of the planet. They focused around structures that had already been built on Earth and began their assaults there. But the attackers met with heavy resistance as the defenses had been greatly improved. But after two weeks of non-stop battle it seemed one of the Crystal Gem's stronghold was about to give in.

* * *

"Get that gun emplacement fixed, NOW! You! Reinforce the lower gates! You! Make sure those generators don't fall or they'll bomb us into dust!" Flint said quickly dolling out orders as fast and as efficiently as she could.

A gem suddenly poofed into nothing and dropped the rifle she'd been using and Flint quickly picked it up and started firing down upon the invading force, still moving along the wall and giving instruction. "Keep them at bay! Know what's at stake! Your freedom!"

The soldiers marching down below appeared as a wave of sizes and colors, thousands of shots whizzing past each other every second. Flint spotted a cannon charging itself and aiming for the main gate. The grey quartz took careful aim, blocking out the chaos around her and fired. The shot hit close to the operator's hand causing the gem to flinch and accidently aim the cannon much lower, specifically to the ground right in front of her, just as the cannon launched its payload. The shot went off, obliterating several dozen gems and causing enough backfire that the front portion of the armed vehicle was blown off, leaving only twisted wreckage behind.

Unfortunately for Flint, it hadn't been the only shot to go off. Three more cannons scattered tactfully around the field had also shot, but these hit their mark. The main gates were blown back with great force, the left flying off its hinges while the right twisted off its top hinge and barely held on.

Homeworld forces began to pour into the fortress, their defenses had been strong but through sheer numbers the enemy had overwhelmed them. Flint drew her sword. "FOR THE CRYSTAL GEMS!" she shouted jumping into the fray as other followed after her.

* * *

Flint knelt down on both knees, her hands bound behind her back with her comrades, they had put up a valiant effort, but it had been too much to handle. A defensive force of twelve hundred gems against eleven thousand? The outcome had been decided before the fight had even begun, and Flint knew it. Still, she mused, the gave much more then they got. The fortifications had allowed each Crystal gem lost to take out three to six of their enemy. But with less than a hundred gems left Flint knew there was nothing more to fight with, and so for the sake of the other left she knelt down and surrendered. At least now, no more casualties had to be suffered.

Too bad Homeworld didn't see it that way.

 _ **POOF… CRACK… SMASH**_

"Call out to her, bring her here."

Silence.

 _ **POOF… CRACK… SMASH**_

"Call out to her, bring her here."

Silence.

 _ **POOF… CRACK… SMASH**_

"Call out to her, bring her here."

Silence.

The leader of the Homeworld gems, a thunder egg agate, pointed to another Crystal gem captive and she was dragged to her feet and forced down in front of Flint.

"Call out to her, being her here." She repeated as she held up her blade again, positioning it above another gem.

Flint said nothing, her eyes closed in silence. The grey quartz heard the swing of the blade and the poofing of a physical form being destroyed, quickly followed by a gem landing on the ground, being stepped on and cracking and finally…

 _ **SMASH**_

Flint unconsciously clenched her teeth. She hated this, she was powerless and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She had hoped that these gems would be honorable, take them prisoner to be taken back to Homeworld to be tried, or formally executed, but this? It was barbaric and cruel.

Thunder Egg sighed, taking a step forward and grabbing Flint around the jaw, forcing her to look into her face. "Quit wasting my time." She said with barely constrained irritation. "I know you can bring her here, so do it."

Flint glared at her in silence.

"What do you think this will accomplish, hmm?" The agate inquired. "You think if you stay silent long enough that we'll simply lose interest? Look at them." She said turning Flint's head to look at her fellow prisoners. "Their lives count on you, you can make this stop. Just do as I say and call her here."

Flint opened her mouth and uttered one definitive answer. "No."

 _ **BAM**_

The grey quartz felt the definitive impact of a fist as it contacted her cheek. She fell over to the ground, only for the two gems who had been holding her still to right her up again. "Look Flint. Your loyalty is admirable, truly. But have you considered to what and to whom you're being loyal to? A traitorous Diamond who could tear our way of life apart." Thunder Egg then thought for a moment, switching up tactics. "If it's her life you're worried about, you needn't worry about that either." Flint actually gave a small look of interest at that. "Our orders are to detain Pink Diamond, to capture her. Not destroy." She gave a brief pause allowing the information to sink in. "Interested now?"

Flint gave a small mirthless chuckle. "Heh. Absolutely, but could you come a bit closer? What I'm about to tell you, it's a bit of a secret."

Thunder Egg lowered her head. "What is it?"

Flint smiled. "Listening close?"

 _ **WHAM**_

Thunder Egg fell backwards onto her butt and clutched her nose while Flint was pinned to the ground by the other two gems. Flint's smile radiated even when being shoved into the dirt. That headbutt had felt pretty good. "You get all that?"

Thunder Egg picked herself up, dusted herself off and ground her foot into Flint's head. "Oh yes, perfectly clear." She raised a single hand up and rifles cocked at the remaining gems. "Prepare to fire!"

Flint looked up watching as the agate prepared to end them. She closed her eyes and waited for the end. But she heard rumbling near her that caused all present to pause.

Flint opened her eyes again and saw a strange green sprout making its way out of the ground near her. She blinked once, if her eyes weren't playing tricks on her she would have sworn it just _waved_ at her. The sprout then quickly grew, more shooting up and surrounding the captured gems, creating a green dome around them, separating them from the enemy.

The grey quartz felt another, smaller vine on her back and then make its way to her hands. She heard the fumbling of tumblers and with a click she felt freedom as the shackles fell off. Flint got to her feet and looked around as the other captured gems were freed one after another. She could also hear that the initial grunts and mutters of confusion had been replaced with heavy weapons fire.

Suddenly the guns stopped and Flint heard a muffled yell from outside. "Up there!"

She heard blaster fire again but it was not aimed at their dome. She heard the sounds of whipping and grunts and rifle fire as the battle outside raged on. The grey quartz drew closer to the thorny wall, prying it apart to get a glimpse outside.

She suddenly saw a flash of pink and green and watched as Homeworld gems were tossed about with great ease. Rifles were ripped straight from the grips of the enemy before being effortlessly slapped away.

Then suddenly it was quiet, silent even. Then Flint heard what sounded like pleading. She angled her eye towards the source and saw Thunder Egg on her rear skootching away slowly as two pink gems approached her, neither looking pleased. The grey quartz concentrated hard to hear the words.

"P-please! Have mercy m-m-my Diamond! I was only fol-GURK!" Flint watched as a vine wrapped around the agate's neck and lifted her high so that she was eye to eye with Pink Diamond.

Flint watched as Pink spoke, a look in her eye Flint had _never_ seen before, one of… anger. "I am _not_ your Diamond." With that, the vine tightened in an instant and the agate poofed, her gem falling to the ground.

Pink glared at it for a moment before looking to Rose standing a few feet away. The pink quartz stepped closer and laid a hand on Pink's leg in a somewhat soothing manner and Pink's features melted into something akin to sorrow before she finally sighed, ran a hand through her hair, and looked towards the dome. She made a sweeping motion with her hand and the dome was gone. Flint and the other gems could now see what had happened. Piles of inert gems surrounded them on all sides. It appeared as though Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz had single-handedly won the battle.

Both the pink gems turned to look at the crowd, Pink giving a half-hearted, weary smile while Rose gave a beaming one.

Flint opened her mouth to speak only for cheers to suddenly erupt from behind her and bodies to rush past her, all looking to surround Pink Diamond and her Rose Quartz. Among the cacophony the grey quartz herad praises and words of thanks, and why not? These two gems _had_ just saved them all. Still, should she say something about… no, it wasn't important. She shook her head and ran over to join the others in greeting their saviors.

Rose was shaking hands and receiving claps on the back while Pink Diamond bent over slightly to wave at those who each tried to get her attention.

Pink then stood tall and held up two hands for silence.

"Please everyone, thank you for your kind words." She started letting her gaze wash over the crowd. "But, we can't let our guards down just yet. This I fear may only be the beginning of a long and bitter conflict, and one we must be prepared for." She motioned to the inert gems. "Bubble the gems and send them to our base in facet nine, after which begin repairs on the base."

The crowd did as thy were told, forming groups and bubbling the Homeworld gems en masse, sending them away with a push of their finger.

Flint began approaching the two pink gems, who finally noticed her now that she broke away from the rest of the crowd.

Rose was the first to speak. "We didn't make you worry too much, did we?"

Flint gave a half-smile to that. "I _was_ beginning to wonder." The grey quartz then looked up and to Pink. "So, how are things faring?"

Pink's small smile faded away and she motioned for them to follow her, the two quartzes flanking Pink on either side as they watched the gems go about their assigned tasks. "It was a well-coordinated attack. I expected nothing less from my sisters, still the casualties have been… high." Pink started, not looking back at either of them but allowing her gaze to drift over to the gems again.

"How many?"

"Two bases have been wiped out, the numbers shattered are in the thousands." Pink informed, her voice steady but a slight twitch in her facial features betraying her sorrow. "We only barely got wind of this base and were lucky enough to make it in time."

"At least we're taking down three or more for every one of us that falls." Flint said.

"It hardly seems to matter when my sisters will just keep throwing wave after wave at us until we _do_ fall." Pink replied gloomily. "They don't care how many of the "lesser gems" it takes."

"How many Homeworld gems have we collected?" Flint said, trying to slightly shift the subject.

"Tens of thousands." Rose said, speaking up. "But I don't know how long we can keep just taking them in."

"Then maybe we shouldn't." Flint replied simply, causing both Rose and Pink to stop and look at her.

"You know we can't." Rose said cautiously, not wanting to escalate things.

"And why not?" Flint asked, almost bitterly. "We can't keep making room for these gems _and_ continue to fight against an enemy who won't show _us_ the same mercy. It's a luxury we can't afford."

Pink looked at Flint fully, giving her undivided attention to the grey quartz. "On the contrary Flint, it's one we _must_ afford. Because that 'luxury' is the only thing we have to separate us from them. And if we fail in that, then what's the point?"

"I thought the point was to win." Flint retorted pointedly.

Rose looked up to Pink, not sure what to expect form that remark, but found some relief when Pink's eyes only a moment ago serious, now seemed to soften. The Diamond knelt down on one knee, placing a hand on Flint's shoulder while, given the size, actually draped over the shoulder and part way down her back.

"I know this is frustrating Flint, but our mercy is what keeps us in the right. It'll be what convinces others that our cause is just, or if not that far, that at least we aren't ones to be feared or hated. Please trust in that, please trust in me." She pleaded softly.

Flint was the one to soften this time, glancing over to Rose who watched with a kind smile. The grey quartz finally sighed, then nodded.

Pink smiled at this and stood again. "Good."

The started walking again and Flint changed the subject to something else. "Concerning our bases, should we make new ones? Try and move the ones we have?"

"Moving the bases is a non-option here, but we have begun to find new sites for possible base building." Pink replied. "But those bases will take time to make fully operational and we can't spare many away from defense of what we have. It could be close to a year before we have another base ready for use."

"Meanwhile I've been busy trying to find a way to make my healing ability for readily available for those that need it." Rose chimed in. "It seems my tears cause my healing powers to be their most useful, so I've been trying to figure out a way to perhaps replicate their properties, maybe even fix shattered gems, if we found all the pieces, but it could be a while before we get that far."

Flint mused on this. "Shattered gems brought back, that would be a useful ability to have on our side."

"It would certainly be a boon in this conflict." Pink agreed. "My own healing powers have been able to do much, but my research has been a standstill since I've had to coordinate this war."

Flint raised a brow at this. "Research? I thought that was Peridot's thing."

"I happen to be well versed in the ways of science myself Flint."

Flint held up her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Sorry, didn't mean nothing by it." She then put a hand to her chin. "So, what _is_ this research on exactly?"

Pink seemed to brighten at that. "Ah! Well that's a little harder to answer. You see, I've been studying the organics."

"The organics? Why?" The grey quartz asked.

"I'd like to know too." Rose chimed in.

Pink Diamond seemed to be a bit taken back at that, rubbing the back of her head and looking away and to the sky. "Well, see I'm trying to see about…" she paused looking for the right word. "adapting them to us."

"Meaning what?" Rose asked, prodding for more information.

"Meaning I want us to learn from them, but more than that. I want us to be able to physically change like they do." Pink said trying to explain her work.

"What like fusion? With… an _organic_?" Flint asked disbelievingly. Flint had heard many, many, _many_ crazy things since she had come to work under Pink Diamond, but what she had just heard was another level of strangeness entirely.

"No… well yes, but no." Pink replied. "The organics ability to change and adapt to things around them, rather than force the environment around them to change to suit their own static needs, is what I want us more than anything to be able to do. The problem is it's more than just behavior that we need to copy if we want to be more like them, we need to physically become more like them. So, I've been researching ways that we could do that."

"What did you learn?" Rose asked, genuinely intrigued while Flint still seemed… apprehensive at best.

Pink sighed. "I've worked just about every angle I can but it seems like it might be impossible." The quartzes exchanged confused looks with each other before turning their attention back on Pink. "Organic matter, while malleable, is also fragile. It does not accept foreign entities easily, and we're not even of this solar system so we're about as foreign as it gets. Even with the tiniest of fragments of shards I could muster, nothing would happen, the stable organic matter and the stable gem material simply do not mix."

"You say that, but not like you've completely lost hope." Rose noted.

"Because I haven't. I have a theory but have no way to test it in any way now that we're waging war with the Empire. Maybe when this settles down a bit I could continue, but until then I have to l coordinate our forces."

"When did you have time to do all this research?" Flint asked.

"On and off again for twenty millennia, though to be honest that was mostly the gems side of things. But since I've been on Earth there's been a lot of opportunity to study organics, thanks to Peridot." Pink replied.

"What exactly is this theory?" Rose asked, enthralled by the subject matter.

"Well, that's where this gets _really_ fascinating." Pink started. "You see-"

"My Diamond!" a voice interrupted Pink and the three turned around to see a chrysolite running towards them.

"What is it?" Pink asked.

"We've received a message!"

"From who? Which base?"

"My Diamond, it came from Homeworld!"

Pink's eyes went wide as did the quartzes. She quickly regained her composure and gave a simple order. "Show me."

The gem led them back into the half-destroyed base towards the communications hub. The gems there were working but all stopped to greet Pink and her entourage as they entered.

The chrysolite ran over to a console and started typing, after a few seconds the biggest screen in the room went dark for a moment before quickly blinking back to life. Before all of them was the visage of Blue Diamond, her face obscured by her hood, only her mouth visible as she spoke.

"Hello, Pink."

* * *

 **Done. Great. Fantastic.**

 **Say I got something fun you guys might enjoy. See, I've been trying to come up with theme songs for the characters of this story but I only got a few so far. So, if you want, in your review leave what you think Flint's theme song or Rose's or Pink Pearl's theme song should be. If I like it, I'll mention it and the reviewer in the next chapter, we'll keep going like this until every major character (Pink's friends and the Diamond sisters) all have appropriate theme songs. I'm mostly looking for something that fits them not only in the title of the song but also in the tune of the song. Also mostly looking for** _ **themes**_ **so songs with lyrics I probably won't consider unless they're really, really,** _ **really**_ **appropriate for that character.**

 **Anyways so far:**

 **Pink Diamond – The Honor in Her Efforts (Phil Lober)**

 **White Diamond – Gods Bound by Rules (** **Keiichi Okabe, Kakeru Ishihama, Keigo Hoashi & Takafumi Nishimura)**

 **Thanks for reading please review.**


	3. Ch 3: Last Chance

**Chapter 3, or is it 24?**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 3: Last Chance

Pink breathed in deeply, she could smell it in the air.

Salt.

She looked out towards the horizon, the sun had only just risen and reflected off the water of the ocean in the distance. She then glanced down at her feet and saw her small entourage right by her side and then behind her, watching as the bulk of her army stood for the most part, still.

Everything seemed rather still, she thought.

So much so her mind began to drift back hours ago, to the reason she was now standing here on this large grassy plain with her forces.

* * *

"Hello, Pink." The recording spoke.

"Blue…" Pink said disbelief evident in her voice.

"I see you have decimated our forces…" she paused as if trying to come up with something to follow it but instead she seemed to switch gears. "I want to meet with you sister. I want to see you face to face. No tricks. I just want to meet with you so we can end the hostilities before they escalate." The video paused again, as if waiting for an answer. "Please Pink, meet with me, this doesn't have to go any further. I've sent coordinates along with this message, meet me there. If you refuse, I can't guarantee what will happen next."

* * *

Pink was shaken from her thoughts as she watched three warships appear in the sky. One was a very large blue ship and two lesser ones flanking it on either side. Suddenly, gems were dropped down from all the ships, they created quick formations and vastly outnumbered Pink's own forces occupying the far side of the field.

Then Pink saw it, a blue palanquin descended from the sky and landed in front of the army. Blue's pearl was the first to step out, holding open the curtain for her Diamond. Blue stuck one foot out and then quickly departed her palanquin, her hood obscuring her features.

She took a few steps forward and then looked over towards the ocean for a moment, seeming to sigh before turning her gaze back in Pink's direction and walking towards her, motioning for her pearl to stay behind.

Pink took a single step forward before Rose spoke up. "Pink…?" The rest of the group seemed similarly nervous.

The rogue Diamond only gave them a single nod. "Don't worry." She then turned and began to walk towards her sister.

The two armies both were tense with anticipation as they watched their leaders approach one another, both ready to act at a moment notice should their assistance be required. The two sisters each walked until they were no more than a dozen feet from one another, and then stopped.

Everything seemed deathly silent, the wind blowing across the grass the only sound for miles.

"It's good to see you Pink." Blue said so quietly it could have been mistaken for a whisper.

Pink nodded slightly. "Yeah. You too, Blue."

"I see you brought your army."

"I see you brought yours."

"Great minds, eh?' Heh." Blue gave a small mirthless chuckle and Pink nearly smiled but the situation kept her face in a small frown.

Another silent pause.

Pink was the one to break it this time. "So, in your message you said you wanted to talk."

Blue nodded.

"So…?"

The elder Diamond was silent again, seeming to be trying to come up with the correct words. "What… are you doing Pink?" she said at last. "This rebellion, this planet… what are you trying to prove?"

"Nothing at all." Pink said resolutely. "I'm done trying to 'prove' _anything_ to you, or to Yellow."

Blue shook her head slowly. "And White? What do you think she would say to this?"

Pink's gaze narrowed a bit at her eldest sister's name. "Considering it was _her_ policy to not try and colonize planet with organic life, I think she would understand. At the very least she would understand better than Yellow would, I expected her to disagree with me, but you? You couldn't see what I was trying to do? What I'm _still_ trying to show you?"

"Show us what?" Blue asked, her voice now gaining some energy. "Show us that you've grown overly sentimental to creatures with incredibly finite existences with or without our interference? Or that you've allowed yourself to become too sympathetic with gems below us?"

Pink sighed. "And that, my sister is what saddens me the most." She paused looking away to the sea. "It's not even that you understand, but disagree with what I'm doing and how I think." She then glanced back at her army. "It is completely beyond your comprehension, isn't it? My empathy towards the 'lesser' gems and towards organics." She then turned back to face Blue. "You must think I've lost my mind."

Blue was silent for e moment but then lowered her head and allowed her hood to fall off, revealing her hair. But her once deep navy-blue locks had lightened, becoming more akin to a dark robin's egg blue, nearly matching her skin tone.

Pink spoke. "Your hair…"

Blue took a few locks in her hand before letting it fall to the side. "It's a side effect of all the stress I imagine. I loved… love you Pink and for your sake, I did try, but you're right I _don't_ understand, and probably never will, but neither do you."

"Meaning what exactly?"

"We're Diamonds Pink." Blue said, stating the fact flatly. "There's an order to things, a _reason_ for things being the way they are. But you don't seem to understand that, or more to the point you don't _want_ to." She motioned to the gems behind her. "You want to be like _them_. But that will only lead to our societal collapse."

"If our society could collapse so easily by gems simply asking what they want to do with their existence, then perhaps it should have fallen years ago. You refuse to allow change, because this is all you've ever known." Pink retorted. "You and Yellow and perhaps even White are too afraid of letting it happen, after all, if others didn't mindlessly obey you, what would you have left?"

Blue paused for the longest time and Pink through she was coming up with another counter-argument but then she did something entirely unexpected. She offered out her hand. "Come back with me Pink, come back to _us_. Forget about these creatures and this planet, forget about these gems, you have your sisters. You're a Diamond."

Pink looked at the hand for a long time then back into Blue's face. "I am a Diamond Blue, you're right. But I'm also a gem, and right now my _friends_ need me."

Blue allowed her hand to fall. "I see, it seems there's no more use in talking, is there?"

"No, there isn't." Pink answered.

"I see then." Blue said and suddenly the air grew tense and the wind seemed to swirl around the elder Diamond. "If you will not be convinced by words, I'll have to take you by force." The once clear sky seemed to be getting darker as clouds rolled in. "Perhaps in a few millennia, when you've had time to think in Homeworld's cells, you'll be ready to become one of us."

Pink took a stance and the ground beneath them began to tremble. "Be careful Blue, I'm not the same gem who just popped out of the ground twenty thousand years ago."

The two armies ready themselves, but neither seemed eager to try and get closer, they both just watched as the two Diamonds seemed to tremble with power.

The shaking continued and the clouds grew darker, the ocean in the distance churned wildly and the grass beneath their feet seemed to develop sentience of its own while the tree in the forest far away began to bend and move in odd and terrible ways.

And then everything went still.

Still and silent.

Pink then slammed her palms into the ground and it erupted with wood, coming towards her sister like a wave.

Blue grew two sets of ice wings and flew off, leaving the sea of green far beneath her as she quickly ascended into the sky.

Pink raised a hand and vines shot out from the pillars on the ground, now racing towards Blue.

The elder Diamond slashed at the green mass with blades made from water, cutting them to ribbons, but the vines persisted. Soon a giant green hand made from vines reached up and enclosed Blue inside its palm.

Pink watched as the green fist quivered and then ice began to make its way across the knuckles of the hand. When the entire green limb was encased in ice it exploded and Blue stood atop it, gazing down on her younger sister. Blue lifted both hands to the air and then brought her arms down in a deliberate gesture and the clouds above rumbled.

Pink felt a single droplet upon her cheek and looked up past her sister to the clouds. Rain had started to fall, light at first, but it was soon pouring down.

Blue moved her hands in purposeful motions, left and right and up and soon the water around Pink began to swirl and enclose around her. Pink moved to try and escape but the water was too fast and the younger Diamond was soon trapped within a swirling sphere. Blue closed her hand and the sphere instantly hardened into ice.

Blue smiled victoriously for a brief moment but jerked forward when she felt a foot slam into her back, knocking her from her perch. She turned to see Pink there, her leg outstretched. The elder Diamond caught herself in midair and just hovered for a moment, her eyes level with her sister's.

"Pretty clever, traveling through the ground with your vines." Blue remarked.

Pink pointed above. "And you, summoning more water."

Blue paused, her icy wings flapping in the air. "You can't win against me Pink. Stop this before I have to really hurt you."

Pink shook her head. "If you think I'll stop now Blue, I wonder if you knew me at all."

Blue narrowed her eyes. "Then you leave me no choice." She said as she raised a single hand up and water began to form around her palm, becoming a long thin cylinder with a bulky end and then hardening into ice. Blue grasped it and the ice broke revealing the weapon within, she swung around her trident before coming to let it rest on her side.

"Finally taking me seriously, huh?" Pink said as two walls of vines on either side of her shot up. She stuck her arms in each and the Vines clamped down before falling away, revealing her two arm-shields. "Then so will I."

Blue spun around the trident with great seed then launched a water blade at the base of the vine tower. It easily cut through and soon began to tip over. Pink raced along its sides as it fell, watching as Blue began to charge her while she did so. The elder Diamond swooped down like a bird of prey, but Pink rolled out of the way of the first strike while Blue circled around to try again and again. Pink rolled out of the way or blocked with her shield as she continued to run down the vine. As the tower finally collapsed she jumped from it with a flip and landed on her feet.

Blue flew high in the air again, seeming to change tactics. She raised her spear into the air and soon the water around Pink began to coalesce together, soon four water-clones of her sister surrounded Pink on all sides.

They attacked her at once, but Pink managed to slip away from the middle, allowing herself to stagger them in such a way that they came only one or two at a time. The had only a fraction of her sister's strength but were entirely relentless in the assault.

Pink tried punching one in the gut, only for her fist to pass right through as she suffered an uppercut that knocked her away.

Flint gritted her teeth as their group continued to watch on. "She can't hit them, they're water! We gotta do something!" she said making a move to help, only to be stopped by a hand on the shoulder.

The grey quartz turned around to see Rose who shook her head. "She's not out of this yet." Then pointed back to the battle.

Blue watched as Rose reached into the ground and pulled something out, it was covering her fists now. Pink punched one of the clones, but this time the impact connected, blowing away the head and Blue's eyes widened in surprise.

Pink dispatched the other three in quick succession, each going down after one hit.

Blue made her move as the last fell, dive bombing her sister. But Pink saw it coming and rolled out of the way as Blue left a crater behind. "How did you beat them? They were made from water!" she asked.

Pink smiled, showing off her hands which were covered in some sort of fuzzy green plant creature. "It's called algae, a plant that grows pretty well in water, and is very good at absorbing it."

The elder Diamond narrowed her eyes. "You and your organics… enough it's time to end this." Blue raised her hands and the rain gave one last big heavy finish before the clouds were drained completely. Blue then began to move in dance-like motions and the water everywhere began to gather towards her.

Pink could feel the air beginning to dry and even felt the liquid inside her plants being tugged at. She watched the ocean in the distance begin to move inland much farther than it should have been able to on its own.

Blue continued her motions and soon a giant sphere of water began to form itself above Blue's head, growing larger with each passing second. She then relaxed her arms and the large orb landed on Blue, but as it did, instead of flowing outwards form the impact the water began to collapse in on itself and the form, growing tall and taking shape until at least a giant water-body stood before Pink, her sister in its chest controlling its movements.

He giant reached down for Pink who managed to dodge out of its grasp but Blue did not let up. Pink summoned the grass beneath her to carry her away, increasing her speed but the giant was right on her tail.

 _ **SNATCH**_

The watery giant caught its prey and, for a moment, it looked like the battle would be over. But wood suddenly shot up from the ground in great quantity causing the watery hand to be destroyed as the giant yielded and took a few steps back.

The wood, like the water before them, also began to change and take shape, large limbs of foliage began to form and change until a wooden planet-giant stood to fact its water counterpart.

The giants clashed, locking arms with one another as the water began to turn to ice, the newly formed claws digging into the plant warrior.

The water pushed back fiercely, but the wooden giant weighed more and Blue's form began to be pushed down to the ground. It looked like this was the end for Blue.

Until she visibly smirked that is.

Two watery arms formed themselves right under the first set and transformed into icy blades. With an audible twang, the blades had cut right through the plant giant's legs. Having no support now, the giant hung onto the water giant's torso. But the watery giant knocked the wooden warrior off and it feel to the ground with a ground-shaking thud.

Blue put her giant foot on the chest of the plant-titan, ready to finish it off when she spotted far below on the ground several gems rushing towards it. She bent down and scooped them all up, trapping them inside her icy fist.

She then spoke again. "I've won Pink, this is the end for you and for this rebellion." She then turned to look at the gems. "I've seen you with these gems far more than any others, perhaps it is their influence that twisted your mind. Maybe when they're gone, you'll finally be able to be the Diamond you were always meant to be."

Blue expected something from that.

A retort.

An attack.

Anything.

And yet, the giant remained still, and did nothing.

Blue narrowed her eyes and with the other hands and formed icy claws that dig through the chest of the wooden giant. "Come out here Pink, it's time you-" The watery giant finally dug into the heart of the plant warrior but found… nothing. Only a large empty space where Pink had once been.

Suddenly Blue heard a crashing from behind her and turned to look. A giant vine stalk had broken through the ground and was making its way into the sky and very rapidly doing so, poking beyond the clouds and out of sight.

"What in space…?" Blue said looking up in confusion.

 _The edge of the Earth's exosphere…_

As the vine continued to sprout it became thinner and thinner until at last a massive bud at the end of the vine sprouted. It bloomed and Pink Diamond stepped from within, looking down on Earth from her high perch. The vine was already swaying unsteadily in the near-vacuum at the edge of the atmosphere and ice had already formed along most of the upper third.

Pink looked down, she'd have only one shot at this. The cloud cover hopefully wouldn't put her off course.

She clasped her hands together and the two arm-shields came together to make her large greatshield. She then took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped.

 _On Earth…_

Blue squinted, looking far into the sky. With a gesture, the cloud moved out of the way, and still she couldn't even see the end of the plant but something did catch her eye. Far, far, _far_ up in the sky something was gleaming. It looked like a meteorite entering the atmosphere, but much smaller.

As the gleam continued to fall Blue noticed it seemed to be heading right towards her. After a few seconds she saw it, the object appeared to be a giant pink-hued fireball.

"She can't be serious." Blue said aloud dropping the ice-prison of the other gems.

The water giant got into a stance and began to summon water from the ocean, it gathered in front of it and began to harden and grow dense. Soon a very large thick sheet of ice was in front of it, directly between the atmospheric dive-bomb and Blue. "Too reckless, Pink."

All gems everywhere watched in complete silence as Pink rushed to meet Blue.

And then…

…

 **BAAAAAMMM**

The sound of the impact against the ice rang out like shot. Air rushed out, pressing grass flat against the dirt, blowing over some of the smaller gems and even shaking the trees and disturbing the ocean in the distance.

But the ice held, and Blue smiled, it was over, the gambit had failed.

 _ **CRACK**_

…Or had it?

The answer?

No, no it hadn't.

Pink's dive bomb had only momentarily stopped before the ice gave way and she borrowed through it like it was nearly nothing at all.

Blue had only a moment to shift her facial features before she felt the full force of her sister and her flaming greatshield knock into her and continue on through the giant and into the Earth below.

 _ **BAAAM**_

The second sound of impact, this time coming from the Earth itself though not nearly as loud as the first caused a crater and several crevices to spring up.

The giant fell to pieces as water washed away and once again, silence reigned.

Both armies waited in anticipation, to see who would emerge and for the longest time, it seemed neither of them would.

Then they heard it, footsteps coming from within the crater and all held their breath to see the winner.

A Blue hooded figure appeared, and Flint's eyes went wide, both the pearls and Peridot covered their mouths in horror and Onyx and Rose both stared mouths agape. "No…" Flint said, barely above a whisper.

Then another step, and Pink Diamond was revealed, covered in burns and bruises, but very much alive. She got to the top of the crater and tossed Blue from her shoulder, the elder Diamond bouncing off the ground and sliding to a halt, too weak to move any longer.

Pink walked over to her and kicked her over so she was face-up. Blue weakly gazed at her, then reached out. "Pink… please…" she said quietly.

Pink raised one foot and smashed ir right into Blue's torso. Her eyes went wide and she gasped, both from pain and surprise, one last time before finally…

 _ **POOF**_

Blue's Diamond's gem fell to the ground, bouncing for a moment before settling into the dirt.

Pink reached down and grasped it. She held it up to her face for a moment, seeming to examine it. Then she turned to face the Homeworld gems and raised it high into the sky. "WHO ELSE WANTS SOME?!" She bellowed.

The Homeworld gems shared looks of horror before one finally spoke up. "RETREAT!"

Soon that same order was speared and just as quickly as they had come, the gems left. The three ships, including Blue's personal ones blasting off into space.

Pink lowered Blue's gem and stared off into the sky before she heard it, the sounds of cheering from behind her.

The rebels cheered, their leader had just defeated one of the Diamonds! It was something to celebrate to be sure. They danced and jumped up and down and hooted and hollered.

Pink's own little group soon came up behind her, all wearing smiles of joy and relief.

"Pink that was amazing!" Flint started, the first to reach her.

"Amazing? It was unbelievable! I mean dropping from _orbit_ to attack her?! Where did you even come up with that?!" Onyx followed up.

"It was a flashy display Pink." Pink Pearl agreed.

"And what a payoff!" Peridot chimed in.

"I had no idea you had that much control over the plants, Pink! You gotta show me how you did all that!" Rose said excitedly.

But White Pearl was the first to notice that Pink had not said a thing, she was completely stock still.

Soon the others took notice and smiles began to falter, as White Pearl approached her and reached out to touch her. "My Diamond…?"

As she made contact with Pink Diamond's leg, suddenly Blue's large gem was released from its grip and sunk into the earth. Then Pink fell to her knees and finally onto her face, lying motionless.

"Boss!/Pink!/My Diamond!" The group shouted simultaneously as they began to surround the body.

* * *

 _Meanwhile… far, far, away on Homeworld…_

* * *

Yellow continued to type away at her tasks, soon, she mused, Blue would come back with Pink in tow, then they could decide what should be done about her. It would be an odd thing to stage an execution for a Diamond, perhaps a few millennia locked deep underground would be best until this little incident blew over. Then they could try to teach Pink the correct way to be a Diamond, whether she liked it or not.

Yellow then noticed a priority message coming in, from Blue's ship. Excellent, that had taken even less time then she had anticipated. She accessed it with a bit of a small smirk but that soon faded into a frown when no her sister, but an agate of some kind appeared before her, a holly blue if she was recalling correctly.

"An agate?" Yellow asked aloud. "What are you doing accessing the Diamond line? Where is Blue Diamond? Did she give you access to it?" she said in a commanding tone.

"No… my Diamond… she did not." Holly Blue answered slowly, trying to avoid direct eye contact.

Yellow was already getting annoyed, but did not raise her voice, remaining professional. "Then why are you? Is she busy attending to Pink Diamond's restraint?"

"No… my Diamond…" Holly Blue answered again slowly.

Yellow raised a brow. "Has Pink Diamond been… destroyed then?" She said it slowly and with disbelief. She honestly didn't think Blue had had it in her to shatter their youngest sister. "Is Blue attending to her shards?"

"No… my Diamond…" Holly Blue replied.

Now Yellow Diamond was getting downright peeved. "For nebula's sake, what is it then?! Where is Blue Diamond and why is she not here talking to me instead of you?!"

"My Diamond… Blue Diamond confronted Pink Diamond on Earth… they clashed and Blue Diamond… was defeated." Holly Blue said especially slowly this time, the words themselves seeming to just barely fall out.

Yellow's eyes widened, but she said nothing for a long time, then she gradually closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Return to Homeworld immediately for reassignment." She said without opening them again.

"Yes… my Diamond." And with that, the transmission cut out and Yellow was left alone in silence and she dismissed the 3-d console entirely.

Yellow's hand covered her face and she sat there in the quiet for a long time, she then looked towards the lift and thought for a moment. She then got up, walked over to the elevator, and began to ascend.

* * *

 **Done. Amazing.**

 **So, not many suggestions for musical themes, or even comments on Pink's and White's themes, I guess most of you aren't all that interested in playing my little game, a pity.**

 **Blue Diamond - Sunder (Really Slow Motion)**

 **Yellow Diamond - All is Hell That Ends Well (Two Steps From Hell)**

 **Please review.**


	4. Ch 4: The Aftermath

**Chapter 4, or is it… Yeah, not doing that joke anymore.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 4: The Aftermath

Everything was… spinning…

Everything felt… strange… unfamiliar…

Blurs… colors… vague shapes…

Indistinct sound… muffled… far away…

Then suddenly, not so much.

Pink weakly opened her eyes, finding herself staring at a metal ceiling as her eyesight cleared. Her body ached, she turned her head to the side and saw some sort of green thing in front of her eyes, and suddenly it too came into focus.

Peridot was standing beside her looking concerned, apart from her stood Onyx, in her true form, and Flint.

She heard the little green gem say something, but her hearing hadn't readjusted yet, but soon enough… "-y Diamond? Pink? Can you hear me?" Peridot repeated.

Pink gave a small nod and she seemed relieved. Flint quickly came up next. "You sure had us worried boss."

Pink managed a weak smile and opened her mouth the words coming slowly and with effort. "…Sorry…" she breathed.

The grey quartz then turned to Peridot. "How is she?"

"She'll be able to move again in a few hours, as long as Rose keeps up her… ministrations."

Rose, that's right… where was she? Pink looked around without moving her head, but couldn't spot her. He then turned her head to the other side and saw the two pearls huddled together, Pink trying to console her younger white counterpart but also with visible tears. Still, no Rose.

She then heard a dripping noise from above and behind her head, and struggled to look there. There she stood, Rose Quartz. It looked like she was bent over something, she watched as what looked like tear drops dropped from Rose's face and entered some sort of funnel, only to be carried off.

Finally, still exhausted, Pink settled back down and closed her eyes.

* * *

 _Hours later…_

* * *

Pink allowed her eyes to open again, this time she felt much more energized then before. She quickly sat up this time, surprising all still in the rather small metal room.

"Whoa, easy there Pink." Onyx said holding up her hands. "Just hold on a second."

"What… happened…?" Pink asked, her voice feeling dry and sore from disuse.

"You and Blue Diamond fought." Pink Pearl said, speaking up.

"You defeated her, and it was one heck of a thing to see." Flint added.

"But then you… stopped moving…" White Pearl continued.

"We feared the worst. "Peridot finished grimly. "I've never seen a gem do that before, it was like you still had your physical form, but your mental capacity just… went away for a while. Like how the organics do."

"How long has it been since?" She asked.

"A day and a half." Onyx informed. "Doing that right in front of our forces scared them good. They thought you might have been damaged some way."

"And unfortunately, they were right." Peridot chimed in. "The belt, Pink, it's been destroyed."

Pink's eyes widened a bit at that and she looked into each friend's eyes before giving a sigh. "Then I suppose that means… you all know?"

They all nodded. She nodded back once, closing her eyes. "I see." She then noticed something else and looked around. "Where is Rose?"

"She was using her powers to help mend you while I came up with a more… permanent solution." Peridot replied before pushing a button. From behind her somewhere, Pink couldn't exactly see where from her angle, a throne came wheeling up to them. Pink eyed it, it looked like a decorative chair on wheels, and frankly it was a bit on the ridiculous side.

"What is that?" Pink asked, eyeing it.

"it's a mobile throne." Peridot replied. "It's what you'll have to use from now on."

Pink raised a single brow at that. "What do you mean?"

Peridot returned the look. "Haven't you noticed?" She then motioned down to Pink's legs which were covered in a cloth.

Pink eyed this, as if noticing it for the first time and removed the cloth, revealing the metal slab she was on had a thick tube surrounding it, feeding directly into her gemstone. "So, this is what's replacing the belt?"

"Yes, it'll keep your gem from shattering any further, but the damage done…" Peridot trailed off.

Pink nodded. "I understand."

Peridot looked pensive for a moment, as if she wanted to give a retort, but Flint beat her to it. "I don't think you do Boss."

"What's that supposed to mean, Flint?" she asked, turning her attention to the grey quartz.

"You nearly destroyed yourself in a wild uncontrollable attack." Flint said, her face serious and stern. "What would we do, where would we be left if you had been destroyed?"

Pink Pearl walled into view. "She's right, my Diamond. What you did was reckless, and in your condition… frankly it was _stupid_."

Pink Diamond blinked once, she'd never been outright insulted before, not by anyone, not even by her sisters. She considered a retort, but then thought better of it. "Yes, I suppose it was."

"You can't put yourself in needless danger Pink, you came dangerously close to aggravating the fractures in your gem beyond repair." Peridot informed. "That's why you need to be in this chair at all times, if not, the cracking may worsen."

Pink nodded then bean to reach for her belt, trying to get herself off the table. "Help me into the chair." She ordered.

The little green gem put up a hand to stop her. "When you come off that table, you may feel… uncomfortable."

Pink nodded in understanding. "I understand, let's just hurry."

Peridot walked over to a console near the bed and entered a few commands and suddenly the latches released on the slab and Pink was free. Suddenly Pink's form began to spark and sputter drastically. She coughed heavily as she was suddenly overwhelmed with pain. Pink moved to stand but fell on her knees. The pearls and Flint came to help her up as Pink continued her fits. Pink managed to get herself into the chair and sit down where tubed form the side suddenly sprang out and fastened themselves to her gem just as the slab had and soon the sputtering stopped and Pink felt relief.

Pink Diamond then looked down to her friends who each wore expression of concern. "I'm fine, it's all right." She looked to Peridot. "Thank you for making this for me, Peridot."

The little green gem smiled. "It was no problem at all."

Pink then looked to all of them. "Thank all of you, really. I often forget I don't have to do things on my own, with you at my side." She then gave a small chuckle. "It's just… I fight so hard, by myself, because I want to protect you all, and putting you in harm's way, if anything happened to you… I'd never forgive myself."

Pink Pearl spoke up. "And do you think we'd feel any better if you were destroyed and we had the ability to stop it but couldn't, because you refused to put us in harm's way?" she asked.

"We make our own choices Boss." Flint weighed in. "We want to fight _with_ you, not sit on the sidelines while you take on all the danger alone. And if we get hurt, it's not your fault, not one of us would blame you." She then looked towards the floor. "Amethyst wouldn't, that's for sure."

Everyone fell silent at the mention of their fallen friend.

After a few moments Pink broke the silence. "No, she wouldn't. And I'm sorry, you're right. These are risks that you've accepted, and it's time I trusted you to accept them rather than keep you from them."

Everyone looked relieve at that as Pink looked down at the wheelthrone. "So, how do I get this thing to move?"

"Movement control is on the side." Peridot said pointing to a joystick. Pink reached for it, pushing it forward and suddenly jerking forward and stopping. After a few more attempts at moving Pink got a handle of it. "So, where did Rose run off to?"

"She, Whitey, and Onyx are down the hall and to the right." Flint answered.

Pink nodded and grabbed the cloth from the table, covering her legs with it, she didn't know why but it felt right.

She then headed out the door and began heading towards the room, luckily there didn't seem to be any gems in her way and she soon found herself in an observation room of some sorts, windows on the far side overlooking a large cavern. Next to the windows were the three gems, looking down on something.

Onyx was the first to notice her presence. "Pink, you're alright!" She said running over to her.

White Pearl did the same thing, rushing to her side as Onyx did, Rose merely turned around and smiled a small smile. "Are you hurt?" WP asked.

"I'm fine, thanks to you guys." Pink said with that motherly tone of hers. She then looked over to the pink quartz who seemed apprehensive in approaching her. Pink gave a puzzled looked. "Rose? What's wrong?"

Rose approached her, seeming troubled but keeping the smile up. "It's… nothing Pink."

"Doesn't sound like nothing." Pink retorted. "Aren't you happy to see me well? I hear it's in large part because of you."

Rose's smile grew a centimeter before shifting into something resembling discomfort. "If it wasn't for me it'd probably wouldn't be needed at all."

Now Pink was really confused. "What in space are you talking about?" she asked.

"I found out about how I came to be Pink, about what you gave for me to come into existence." Rose replied.

"And?"

"If you hadn't done that, your gem would be fine. If I didn't exist, that chair wouldn't even be needed." Rose said sadly.

"What brought this on?" Pink asked, still puzzled over Rose's sudden change in mood.

"Ever since we, the other Rose Quartzes and I, came to be, it just feels like we've been nothing but a disappointment. We were supposed to be your solution, your answer for how organics and gems could work together and grow. But we failed in that. Now this war's broken out and I can't help but feel it's my fault that there was no other way." She finished.

Onyx and Pearl looked at each other, each with a look of surprise then they turned their gaze upwards towards Pink whose expression was one of astonishment but quickly became an odd sort of smile that spoke of immense joy and pride. Pink reached down from her seat and took Rose in her hands, resting her in her lap. "Hey, now. Don't think like that. This was never your fault."

"But your gem…" Rose said trailing off.

"That was my choice Rose, I knew the risks I was putting myself through, what the consequences would be. You didn't ask to be created, neither did any of your sisters." Pink said, consoling the gem. "And while yes, I did make you for a reason, I don't regret your existence."

Rose looked up at her, tears forming in her eyes. "You mean even if you could go back and change everything, you wouldn't?"

Rose gave a motherly smile. "I wouldn't change a thing Rose Quartz. You and your sister' existence is not a mistake, it was one of the greatest decisions of my life and you all make me so proud."

"Really?" she asked, tears of joy ready to overflow.

"Really. Your empathy and kindness towards gems and organics alike was everything I'd hoped for in you. If the other Diamonds are too blind to see the value in that, then it's their loss, not ours." Pink finished.

Rose leaned forward and embrace Pink, her arms barely fitting across Pink's much larger torso. The Diamond gave an off at this but then gently returned the gesture. She then picked Rose up and set her on the ground. "Now, what is it you three were watching?"

Onyx gestured over to the window. "See for yourself."

Pink did just that, rolling forward so she could look out the window and down below. She beheld hundreds of gems seeming to just mill about, talking with one another or looking up or finding some other way to occupy their time. "What are they doing?" Pink asked, giving a puzzled look.

"Waiting for you." Rose said as the three of them walked up to resume looking down. "Nearly the entire rebellion saw you take down Blue Diamond and then collapse. They're probably waiting for news on your health. There's even more waiting on the surface."

"So many waiting, just for me." Pink said a bit quietly. Pink was a Diamond, she was used to respect being a given, but with her power she could feel more than that from the gem below. She felt… genuine worry… anxiety… fear… and hope. It never really crossed Pink's mind about how exactly the average gem on the rebellion side felt about her personally, but if what she was feeling was correct, all these gems adored her. It was more than a simple respect of status, they looked up to her, idolized her. It was a humbling experience to be thought of this way, but also a pleasant one.

Blue and Yellow had never really cared for the love of their subordinates. Yellow only valued efficiency and respect for chain-of-command, outside of that she could care less what others thought of her so long as they did what she said. Blue was much the same, but in a different sense. She had always sought for the "lesser" gems to hold her in the highest regard. She wanted them to be mind and body committed to her and do whatever she asked of them, even if it meant destroying themselves in her honor.

As for White… Pink could never really tell with her. She always seemed so distant from everything, keeping things at arm's length. But sometimes, for brief moments when they were together, White would get a distant look in her eyes, though Pink could never figure out what it was. Regret? Nostalgia? Something else? She could never be sure.

"Well it's time to put their fears to rest then then." Pink said confidently.

"Forgive me, my Diamond, but how?" White Pearl asked. "If they see you in that wheeled-chair they may be discouraged by the fact that their leader has been seriously injured."

Pink thought on this. "No, I guess we can't have that. Still I need to make myself known to them. But how?"

Pink Diamond, Rose, and Pearl all looked towards Onyx simultaneously.

"What?" she asked, giving them all a confused look.

* * *

The sounds of loud conversations in the cavern could be heard all throughout the cave system. But in an alcove far above, suddenly appeared a sight that caused total silence.

Pink Diamond was there and she was okay!

The silence was soon replaced with clapping and cheering and merriment of all kinds. Pink waited for them to finish before holding up her hands and it fell quiet once more.

"My fellow gems! We have won our first major victory!" Pink said raising her arms and the cheering rose once more, she lowered her hands and the volume followed suite. "Blue Diamond has been defeated and we have come one step closer to our freedom." Her face became grave. "But we must remain vigilant, we all know Homeworld won't take this lying down. Which is why we must make preparations to go on the offensive."

Murmurs swept throughout the gathering, many seeming unsure what to make of that statement.

"I know many of you may now be wondering what I mean by that, and it is this. We must take to space, take the fight to Homeworld."

The murmurs were louder this time, many seeming unsure and uneasy by the declaration while others seemed excited by the prospect of fighting back.

"My sisters will not rest until we are crushed, they will send wave after wave against the Earth until they wash us away." Her expression fell from serious to regretful. "I hate saying this, I hate _asking_ you all to do this, but I'm left with no recourse. We need to stop the fighting at its source, Homeworld. We must get other colonies on our side, find our sympathizers, and enlist their help to win this war. Will you stand with me? Will you fight with me?!" she bellowed.

Cheering erupted again and Pink Diamond gave one last wave before turning back and walking out of sight.

She walked back to the room where Pearl, Rose, and Pink awaited her.

Pink gave a sly grin. "Quite the speech Onyx, I should have you impersonate me more often."

Onyx gave a huff before returning to her true form. "Given you're stuck in that thing, I'll probably have to." She then shifted her feet addressing Pink in a graver tone. "Pink, did you mean what you had me say? Are we really taking this fight to Yellow and to… White?" she said the last name with hesitation and Pink noted her discomfort.

The Diamond nodded. "Unfortunately. It's as I said, or you said with my words, we're going to need to go on the offensive or we'll be waging this war forever."

"Does that mean you're willing to fight against… _her_?" Onyx asked.

Pink knew exactly of whom she spoke. "Yes Onyx, Yellow Diamond needs to be taken down, though given my current state…" She then tilted her head in reference to the chair. "Well, we'll have to figure out something later."

"I meant _her_." Onyx said anxiously. "White Diamond."

Pink features shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think we'll need to worry about her."

Onyx gave a confused look. "Why is that?"

"I'll explain later for right now we need to come up with a plan of attack." Pink said changing the subject and causing Onyx to frown disapprovingly at being brushed off.

"I hope you have at least an idea on where to start." Rose asked concernedly.

Pink gave a knowing smile. "Don't I always?" it then faded and a grim expression took over. "But speaking of my sisters, where is Blue Diamond?"

* * *

Onyx, Rose and White Pearl all took the lead as they made their way into the secluded and shut-in part of the underground complex. They finally arrived to a pair of steely doors which stood imposingly in front of them all.

Onyx went over to the door and entered a command and with a "cu-chunk" sound from within the door relented and opened.

Inside was a featureless rounded white room, illuminated by softly glowing walls, and Pink's eyes were immediately drawn to the center where a blue gem hovered in place encased within a pink bubble. Behind the bubble was the only other thing of notice, a large ornately decorated rounded mirror with a hole on the bottom for a gem to be placed.

Pink recognized it for what it was, it was a more modern version of the same mirror that held White Diamond.

"Where did you get that?" Pink asked pointing to it.

"The gem?" Rose asked confusedly following the finger.

"I think she means the mirror." Onyx corrected. "We found it intact aboard one of the ships that came and that we salvaged, Peridot figures-"

"It was for containing me." Pink interrupted, her face a cross between concern and understanding.

"Right." The shapeshifting gem nodded. "It-"

"It's was supposed to hold me, make me obedient to whomever was using the mirror." Pink said interrupting again.

"Right… again." Onyx said irritation seeping into her voice. "And-"

"And if I refuse to comply with what they ask me, it would hurt me." Pink finished.

Onyx waited a few seconds, waiting to see if Pink had anything more to say. When she didn't she clasped her hands together saying "Whelp, I see you don't need anything else explained to you, I'll just leave you to it." She turned on her heal and left.

Rose and Pink watched her go before turning to one another. "She seemed a little put out."

Pink shrugged. "I already knew what the mirror does, I've seen the original designs. I could also infer what this new one was for simply because I know my sisters. I didn't think it would bother her _that_ much." She then turned to the gem still in the bubble. "Rose, if you wouldn't mind…?"

The pink quartz bowed. "Of course." She, too, left following after Onyx.

Pink watched the door shut with another "ca-chunk", now seeing it came from a large metal bar being placed in front of the door. She then rolled forward and grabbed the gem placing it gingerly in her lap before rolling forward to the mirror.

Pink held up the gem of her sister and then eyed the insertion point in the mirror. Should she really be doing this? Something told her "No, you shouldn't this is wrong." Yet at the same time another part of her said "Isn't it better to be in the mirror where she's conscious, then in the bubble where she's not?"

Pink wasn't sure, a part of her wanted to see her sister again, to make sure she was alright, but not if it meant hurting her. Another part reminded her that had their positions been reversed Blue would have likely stuck her into one of these without much hesitation. The first part also reminded her that they might also glean some information out of Blue on what Yellow and White were doing, so it made sense from a tactical standpoint. Second part warned, however, that she'd likely not be very happy to see Pink given the circumstances.

Oh, decisions decisions…

Finally, with a heavy sigh, Pink unbubbled the stone and carefully leaned forward, placing the gem within. The mirror did nothing for a moment but soon its surface, once showing Pink's own visage began to twist and swirl, hues of grey mixing together until distinct features began to make themselves known. A shadowy silhouette appeared and then the figure solidified into Blue Diamond, her eyes closed and her hands in her lap, her upper body fully visible, while her lower half was not.

Blue eyes fluttered open and then were soon looking around confusedly and frantically but were immediately drawn to the center, to Pink Diamond, her sister, sitting in a throne of some sort. Blue's eyes narrowed and her mouth turned into a hard-creased line.

Pink's own expression was one of uncertainty. Should she be professional? Acting and talking as one commander to another? Go for the personal route? Try and appeal to their presumably former friendship? Maybe mix it up, a little of both.

"Hello, Blue." Pink started her face now calm and collected matching the inflection of her voice.

Blue Diamond did not return the greeting, she didn't say anything. The only noticeable thing she did do was frown just a little bit deeper.

Pink gave a small sigh. "Look Blue, I'm sorry for how things went down, but I had no choice, you left me no choice." Her face turned into one of pleading and want of understanding. "I couldn't let you destroy the Earth and all its inhabitants, and I couldn't sit by and do nothing while we all played the cruel tyrant over every other gem."

Blue remained in her statue-like state, refusing to given even an iota of a reaction.

"I know you don't understand, and don't want to. But can't you at least understand I'm doing what I know in my heart is right? That I'm not doing all this because I'm mad or because I want power for myself but because I think this is the way to improve the lives of all gems?" she asked.

Blue was having none of it. She only looked on with that same glare that seemed to grow with disgust with each passing second.

Finally, Pink decided on the professional route, her features shifting into one to match Blue's though Pink didn't match anywhere near the intensity. "Fine. You can't and won't understand my reasons. I accept that. Let's just get down to it then. What is Yellow up to? Is she building an army? Making a weapon? What's her plan for me and the rebellion?"

Blue still refused to do so much as shift her eyes and Pink was beginning to be a little irritated over it.

"Answer me, Blue."

Still nothing.

Pink rolled a bit closer, which evoked a small amount of curiosity from Blue's eyes but they quickly returned to their previous state.

Pink touched the edge of the mirror. "I know what this can do, Blue. Don't make me hurt you, tell me what I want to know."

The elder Diamond said nothing and Pink began to draw her hand closer, inch by inch, but just as she was about to touch it…

"You can't win."

Pink turned her attention back to Blue, who now addressed her. "What?"

"You can't win, Pink." Blue repeated, her expression not shifting in the slightest.

Pink blinked once, she had expected a tirade of lectures from Blue on why she wouldn't help and why Pink's efforts were futile, but the single phrase had caught her surprisingly off guard. Blue had stated it like an immutable fact and somehow that seemed even worse than listing off all the reasons Pink had little chance of winning. It was like Blue felt she didn't even need to explain why Pink wouldn't win, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'll worry about that. You just tell me what I want to know."

"No."

Pink's brow raised. "'No'? You can't say no."

Blue's features finally shifted though only into a look of condescending. "I can and I have. I'm not going to help you uproot and destroy the foundations of our society." Her eyes narrowed even further. "I'm not telling you _anything_."

Pink's arm neared the edge of the mirror again. "I could _force_ you to talk, to tell me what you know."

Blue gazed at her, almost curiously now. "Yes, you could, but are you going to?" She somehow managed to look like she was leaning in despite still being behind the mirror and not physically moving a single centimeter. "Are you going to _torture_ me, Pink?"

The younger Diamond actually paused at this. She wasn't sure what to do. In all honesty, she didn't want to hurt Blue, but it seemed like her sister was trying to tempt her into doing so, but to what end? Was she trying to prove that Pink was really no better than any of her sisters? Was she trying to bring out some of Pink's Diamond instincts, specifically the needs for power and control? Or perhaps it was some sort of reverse psychology, asking her to do it so that Pink wouldn't do it thinking she'd evaded Blue's mind game when really, she'd fallen right into it.

Pink shook her head. "No, I'm not like Yellow, or like you. If you won't tell me what I want to know, then keep your secrets. I don't need you or your information to win this war." She began to wheel away in reverse.

"You can't win Pink." Blue restated. "My sisters will crush you and your forces into nothing."

This gave Pink pause and she turned back around. "' _My_ '?" She asked aloud, slightly confused. "You mean ours."

Blue only gave a glare as she replied. "No, I mean _mine_. See, I knew Pink Diamond, she was kind and caring and a bit rebellious, but nothing like what you've done. So, I don't know who _you_ are… but you are no sister of mine."

Pink's professional mask nearly broke at those words and she wheeled forward, wanting to somehow reconnect with her. "Blue, you don't mean that."

Blue's face suddenly twisted with anger and the mirror suddenly exploded with a thunderous voice. "LEAVE! AND NEVER COME BACK! THE SIGHT OF YOU IS A MOCKERY OF EVERYTHING I LOVED ABOUT HER!" The mirror rattled with vibrations at the sudden outburst, but remained intact.

Pink only remained a few moments more before turning around and rolling away, thin streams of tears running down her face as the door closed behind her.

* * *

 **DONE. Wait a minute, a telepath in a wheelchair? Where have I heard that before? Maybe Pink's new theme should be the 90s X-Men theme.**

 **Please review.**


	5. Ch 5: First Strike

**Chapter 5, did I say telepathic? I meant empathic, similar but different.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

Chapter 5: First Strike

 _One Month Later…_

* * *

This was a bad idea.

This was an exceedingly bad idea.

In the long list of bad ideas, this had to at least make the top 5.

On the other hand, they didn't really have a choice either, this had to be done or everything was going to be much, much, harder in the war.

That didn't make what was coming next any easier. Specifically how Peridot and Onyx were now barreling into the crowded hanger of a major space station with a severely beaten up warship.

 **YYYOOOOOOOOOOOOW… EEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrr!**

The warship, if it could even be called that anymore given its state, screeched to a halt. There was less than half of it left, and the pieces that remined didn't look good. Most of the metal was charred or twisted or both, only a single engine remained, which was now sputtering and sparking off. On the upside, the bridge was entirely intact, the two passengers sitting relatively safely within.

Peridot's head pounded as she picked herself off the floor. She quickly found herself glaring over at Onyx who just finished unstrapping herself from the captain's chair and was looking rather smug.

"I told you to strap in." She said, with that sly grin plastered on her face.

Peridot scrunched her face with irritation. "I did! Not that it helped! Given that 1; you gave me only a few seconds of warning, and 2; the captain's chair is the only one with good straps!" she pointed to the seat in front of one of the many console on the bridge. "All the others only have one that goes across your waist and I slipped right out of that!"

Onyx brought a hand to her chin as if it had never occurred to her before. "Oh yeah, oh well, we're still here and we're still intact."

"Barely." Peridot said puffing out her cheeks. She then looked outside the severely cracked bridge observation window, through the smoke she could see many gems coming to see the strange sight. "I gotta admit, I was nervous before but…"

Onyx came over and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey relax, I'm doing most of the heavy lifting alright? You just gotta keep your cool, got it?"

Peridot took several deep breaths and nodded. "Keep my cool. Right."

Onyx looked passed her and could clearly see an important looking gem among them, an agate of some sort.

* * *

Plume Agate stepped forward through the small crowd staring at the flaming trash heap that had just landed in her hanger. She couldn't tell which she felt more of, confusion or anger. Maybe a proper answer on what this thing was doing here would help her decide. "What is this?! What happened?!" She barked.

An amethyst turned to her, one of five along with a handful of rubies who made up the crowd. "We don't know Plume, we saw it coming in and got out of the way before it crashed."

"Maybe we should scavenge it to see what we can find." Another suggested.

"Yeah, or maybe she knows." One of the rubies spoke up as, through the smoke came a single lone figure holding something in her hand. As she neared they made out she was a peridot that was slowly walking towards her, she looked roughed up and bruised but none worse for were.

Plume stepped in front of the crowd as Peridot approached them and gave a deep sneer to the little gem. "You had better have a _really_ good explanation for why there's a flaming heap of scrap in my hanger." She said, her voice laced with ice.

Peridot looked up at her, looking as pathetic as possible, being possibly even on the verge of tears. "Oh thank the stars we made it! I was so afraaaaiddd!" she said falling to her knees.

All the gems present exchanged consumed looks while the agate looked on with mild interest.

"You have no idea!" She said through sobs and shaking her head. "We were so close to being destroyed! But we made it! We made it!"

Plume Agate stepped closer, now towering over the kneeling Peridot. "Answer me!"

Peridot wiped her nose. "We were on a mission to survey planetoids for future kindergartens. Then our ship was suddenly caught in a meteor shower. They clogged our engines and caused them to explode!"

"And the survivors?"

Peridot shook her head sadly. "You're looking at them."

Plume raised a brow at that. "Only two of you?"

Peridot nodded and Plume's eyes narrowed, she then looked up at the wreckage. She wasn't any expert or anything but that was definitely the bridge of the ship and it was pretty big for a simple survey ship. Something wasn't right.

Plume held out her hand. "Let me see that gem."

Peridot placed it in her palm and examined it. It appeared to be a Citrine, Yellow Diamond's court then. But that made it all the stranger, this was Blue Diamond's territory.

But then, Yellow and White Diamond had taken most of Blue Diamond's territory as of late, so maybe it wasn't so strange.

But then again, this wasn't the frontier, so why would they be close enough to come here if they were looking for _new_ planetoids?

The gem in her hands was also cracked, a large ugly crevice running down its center, maybe she could ask her what had happened. As an agate, she would have at least been one of the officers of the ship, so she could probably better explain then this blubbering technician gem before her.

Plume turned to one of the rubies. "You! Take this down and place it in a gel bubble, I want it healed by tomorrow."

The ruby stepped forward and took the gem, looking at it for a moment before returning her gaze to the agate. "Yes, ma'am." She answered before running off.

Plume looked over Peridot. "You say this was a survey ship, there must be a manifest. Go fetch it for me."

Peridot looked at her, back to the debris behind her, and then back to Plume. "Back there? But it's unstable! I could be destroyed!"

Plume pointed to the still sputtering engine. "That thing is still going?! it needs to turn off now before it explodes!" she barked. "Now get going!"

Peridot quickly got up and made her way back into the ruined ship. Plume turned around. "And what about the rest of you?! Get clean-up crews down here now!" she ordered.

The rubies and quartzes nodded and ran off and Plume began to make her way to the control room of the station. Something wasn't sitting right with her, and she was gonna get to the bottom of this.

* * *

The ruby with the cracked gem stepped off the elevator and walked down to the first floor she found. She walked into a large rounded room with empty spheres hooked up to vats with glowing grey-white liquid. "We'll get you fixed right up." She said putting the gem on the counter while she walked over to the console to prepare one of the spheres.

As she was typing away, she was too engrossed in her work to notice how the gem she'd lain on the counter had stood up by itself. It slowly began to glow and quickly and quietly Onyx regained her form, landing on the floor.

Ruby heard this and turned around, she gasped and began to shout. However, quick as light, Onyx had crossed the room, and plunged a dagger into Ruby's torso while her free hand clasped tightly over her mouth.

The smaller gem only struggled for a few moments before poofing into nothing. The shapeshifter caught the gem before it hit the floor. She glanced at it then back to the console, the ruby had set it all up beforehand to heal her… hmph… at least she meant well. She accessed the console and finished the program, one of the spheres opened up and partially filled with the healing gel. "Shame to let it go to waste." She said, tossing the gem into it. The sphere closed and finished filling with the gel.

Onyx walked over to the door and sealed it shut. Once sure she wouldn't be interrupted anytime soon, she reached into her own body and pulled out a small earpiece and placed it within her ear. "Hey Peridot, you read me?"

* * *

Peridot made her way back through the smoking remains of what once could be called a starship. Really did Onyx have to do such a good job wrecking the thing? Well, yes actually, if they wanted it to be even halfway believable that this had been a severely damaged survey vessel rather than the barest remains of what was once a warship.

The little green gem found her way back to the bridge and walked over to a console. Grabbing a more portable device from underneath, she pressed a button and it folded out into a small portable interface console. She hooked it up to the main console, now only barely working and powered it up.

Peridot soon found an incoming message and accessed it, Onyx's voice came with heavy static over the line. "-eridot, you there? Answer me!"

"Calm down, I got it, I'm here." Peridot answered as she began to open other programs. "What's your position?"

"Sealed within one of their restoration rooms." Onyx answered back. "Can't you stop the hiss? It sounds like you're trying to speak to me with a mouthful of sand."

Peridot shook her head, despite no one being around to see it. "No, gotta go with a signal that's hard to find or others could pick it up. Which, unfortunately, means using one that's way outside the usual range of signals used by the empire, in other words the least useful ones." She explained. "Now I'm busy trying to access the station's specs so I can lead you to where you need to go."

"You know, I was meaning to ask you about that, how are you so multi-talented?" Onyx asked.

Peridot became somewhat confused. "'Multi-talented'? What do you mean?"

"You know, how are you so knowledgeable about not only research about gem structure and organic life structure but about computers and starships ands about a million other things?"

Peridot gave a skeptical look. "Really? You want to know that now? You couldn't have asked at any time when we flying through space?"

Onyx shrugged. "Guess it didn't really occur to me."

Peridot sighed. "Okay then. Fine, here it is. I… have hobbies."

"…That's it?"

"That's it."

"…That can't be it."

"No, really, it's true."

"…You're lying."

"Okay look." Peridot began. "I like to learn things, okay? And I've had literal _millennia_ to learn about hundreds of different branches of science."

"So that's why you're so good with research and computers and stuff."

"Yes."

"You just spend hundreds, if not thousands of years, just… learning."

"Yes."

"…That's sounds… kinda boring."

"Oh, I'm sorry, what do you do with your free time?"

"Well I-"

 _ **BANG BANG BANG**_

Onyx's attention was suddenly torn away as she heard the banging on the door. "Hold that thought." She said into the earpiece before shifting into the Ruby she'd just taken out.

She unsealed the door and was met with the irritated face of a different Ruby. "Hey! What's the deal sealing the door?" she asked.

"Oh… uh… Had to seal it when the gel is exposed or it'll go bad." Onyx replied quickly in her new gruff sounding voice.

That was a pretty bad lie, but it was all that Onyx could come up with at the moment. She felt herself drawing her blade once again, there was no way that she was going to believe her.

"Oh, I see." The ruby replied simply, walking by and examining the console.

Onyx inwardly sighed, she had forgotten how simple rubies could be.

"So, the gem's good to go then?" The ruby asked glancing towards the sphere. She could see the silhouette inside but the liquid was too thick to make out color or exact shape.

"Yeah, she should be fine in a few hours." Onyx replied before a thought crossed her mind. "Did you just come by to make sure it was done?"

The ruby shrugged. "Yeah, you know how Plume gets, always thinking rubies can't do anything right by ourselves. So, she sent me to check on ya."

"Okay then." Onyx nodded. "Well I got it done fine."

The ruby nodded. "Right then, let's go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Back to our post, duh."

Onyx's mind raced. "Uh, you go ahead I gotta make sure the rest of the pods are…" Her thoughts were moving at light speeds. "working right."

The ruby looked at the spheres and back to her. "They seem fine to me, but If you wanna check 'em fine." With that she exited the door and Onyx gave a more audible sigh this time.

"Peridot, I need you to guide me before I have another interruption."

Peridot typed away, looking at the station's map. "The room we're looking for is on the bottom floor and it's a technician's floor, so shift to an olivine-type."

"Got it." Onyx complied, her body morphing into the shape of Peridot. She looked at herself in a reflective surface, she didn't quite like the hair. She morphed it until it resembled a triangular shape and nodded with satisfaction before leaving the room and quickly making her way to an elevator. She pressed a button and breathed a sigh of relief when no one was inside. She pressed one of the buttons and the elevator began to descend.

* * *

Plume Agate entered the central control room for the station. She walked over to one of the consoles where a gem was busy typing away at some program, she stopped and turned around as she heard footsteps behind her. "Can I help you?"

"I need a scan on that ship that crash-landed in our hanger, I need you to tell me what kind it is. Also pull up data on survey ships in the area."

"Right away."

* * *

The elevator opened on the lowest floor. "This is where most of the station's power and data will be stored." Peridot informed. "Go into the third room on your right and there you should see the memory banks."

Onyx walked the bright white hallway and opened the indicated door. She was greeted with the sight of a much darker room, panels lining the walls and glowing with many different colors. "No one in the halls, no one in the room, almost too easy." Peridot noted. "Now, take out the device I gave you and put it in an access port."

Onyx did as she was told, quickly finding a small rectangular indent in the wall and taking out the device, a small rectangular piece of metal, and sliding it in. The little device blinked with confirmation and then went solid as a connection was established.

Peridot grinned at the notification on her own device. "Good, I'm in."

"Why did you need a direct connection?" Onyx asked.

"Only so much I can do without one." Peridot replied. "When I was on the outside trying to break in, there was only so much I could do in a short amount of time, but now that I've got a backdoor through their computer banks, I can do so much more." She paused and then continued her voice filled with concern. "Oh no…"

"I don't like 'Oh no's." Onyx said with a frown.

They're simultaneously trying to scan the ship and pull up records for survey ships in the area. I need to fake both if we're going to avoid getting caught." Peridot said as her typing became twice as furious.

"Anything I can do?"

"Not really." Peridot said her voice now half anxious and half irritated.

"And… there… we… go…"

* * *

A loud error message sounded drawing the eyes of Plume and the gem at the console. "What happened?" she asked.

"It seems we're having trouble connecting with the main imperial database." The gem informed. "We'll need to try again in a few minutes to see if we can get a better connection."

Plume grimaced at that. The feeling in her gut grew stronger.

* * *

"What happened?" Onyx asked.

"I bought us some time, but not much." Peridot said. "Now let me see if I can upload the data and fake the data they were looking for."

Onyx smiled. The little green gem was continuing to impress today, it wasn't something she had expected of her.

In fact, when Pink had sent them out here together, she had expected the gem to fall apart, but she hadn't. She had tricked the agate and was now the main reason that they might just pull their mission off. A good thing considering that the mission's success was imperative.

This station was one of a half-dozen in the sector and its main purpose was to act as a waypoint in deep space. It held the main star maps that every ship in the empire relied on to navigate. Peridot had designed a program to heavily corrupt the data, and then that incorrect data would be sent out to any ships in the area. In other words, they would all but stop traffic in the sector. Which was good, because this sector was the closest one to Earth, and without a way to navigate to Earth, the chances of an attack there would drop to zero.

"It's done." Peridot said, sounding quite pleased with herself.

"Which one? The map or the fake information?" Onyx asked.

"Both!"

"How did you do that so fast?"

"Ship data retrieval is automated, so as long as you give it _something_ you should be fine. As for the map rewrite program, that's also automated and once it had a direct connection to the station it was only a matter of seconds before it finished." Peridot explained.

"Now what?" Onyx asked.

"Return to the ship and act like a ruby, the ship's 'manifest' will be something relatively easy to create."

"'Manifest'?"

"A part of a lie that I told." Peridot explained.

"Okay, meet you topside." Onyx said, running out of the room and into the elevator.

Peridot unplugged her portable console and smiled, this had gone _far_ smother than she'd thought it would.

 _ **BANG BANG**_

The green gem turned to the doors she'd sealed behind her to avoid interruption and quickly shoved her portable console under the table. She then walked over to the doors and unlocked them. In stepped Plume Agate, a gem on either side of her as she scowled at the little gem.

"Whoa, ho hey!" Peridot said, throwing on a nervous grin. "H-How's it going?"

"Oh, just fine." Plume replied smoothly. "I was just coming to make sure you were alright, but I see you're doing fine."

Peridot shifted uncomfortably, she could hear something in her tone but couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Yes, well then. Here's the manifest."

Plume glanced at it and then handed it to one of the quartzes by her side. "Very good, I'll have a ship prepared for you as soon as your superior reforms."

"Thank you." Peridot said quickly. "I'm sure she'll be pleased to meet you, once _she reforms_." Peridot said with an unusual amount of emphasis.

"Right then, time to leave this scrap heap for the clean-up crew." She finished turning around and exiting. She motioned for Peridot to follow and she did, somewhat reluctantly.

They had begun to walk towards the elevators and Plume continued to speak. "Come, we'll find something for you to do in the meantime."

"I would be happy to help in any way." Peridot replied.

Just before they reached the doors for the elevators, they suddenly opened and out stepped a Citrine. She looked from Plume to the guards and finally her eyes softened when she gazed at Peridot.

Plume gave a look of genuine surprise. "You… you are the agate who was in charge of this ship, are you not?"

"I was. Not much a ship to be in charge of anymore." The Citrine replied pointedly.

"No, I suppose not." Plume said and motioned Peridot forward who did so. "This gem was from your crew, she's told me what you were doing and what had happened. She also happened to be the one who saved your life."

"So I was told." Onyx said looking to Peridot with a reassuring smile. "At any rate could we trouble you for a ship? Perhaps something small? We Only need one for the both of us."

"Of course, of course." Plume said. "We have already begun preparations for your departure, though I didn't expect to see you reformed so quickly."

Onyx smiled cockily. "Nothing can keep me down for long. After all, If I wasn't around to lead who would?"

Plume seemed to be considering the comment before she asked another question. "And what were the circumstances leading p to the ship's extensive damage?"

"A navigation error by our pilot." Onyx replied. "As soon as we had left one of our survey sights she'd lead us into a massive meteor shower. We got torn apart and, as you can see, lost most of our crew. Had she not been destroyed in her own blunder I would have shattered her myself."

"Indeed. To make such an error is as unforgivable as it is… unusual." Plume said thoughtfully. Suddenly, a ruby came running up to Plume and she bent down as the ruby whispered in her ear. "Ah, I see, good." She stood up and looked back at Onyx. "I've just been informed that the ship I've prepared for you is ready, you may depart whenever you wish."

Onyx nodded. "Not to be rude, but I think I'll go now. I must return to my own superiors."

"Indeed. Then I wish you safe travels." Plume said, then motioning to the ruby beside her. "She shall escort you to the ship and then you may depart."

"Thank you for you hospitality." Onyx said, giving the Diamond salute.

Plume returned it and then walked off towards the elevator as the ruby lead them to their new ship.

* * *

"Well, that went pretty smoothly, don't you think?" Onyx said from the co-pilot seat as Peridot navigated.

"All things considered? Yeah, it really, really, did." Peridot agreed. "Though something still bothers me."

"What's that?" Onyx asked curiously.

"The whole time that agate, she seemed… off." Peridot said, thinking back.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I mean after I told her what had 'happened' it just seemed like she thought we were lying." Peridot said thoughtfully. "But then she let us go without much more than a short explanation."

Onyx reached over and ruffled her hair. "Ah, you worry too much. The mission was a success and we've crippled the empire's movements in this sector. I say it was a complete mission success."

Peridot removed the hand from her head and then rubbed it a bit. "Yeah, I guess you're right…"

"'Course I am." Onyx said confidently. 'Now let's go home, don't want to worry everyone."

"Right, setting the coordinates."

* * *

Plume stood behind the gem at the console. She leaned down to get a better look. "So, is it working?"

"We've got full audio and the package within the ship is secure." She replied typing away.

Plume smiled before going towards the observation deck of the command center and looking out, watching the gleam in the distance that was the ship which had just departed. "Take care Crystal Gems, take care."

* * *

 **Done, but hmm… I don't know, was this chapter a bit bland? I'll have to try better next chapter.**

 **Pink Pearl - Everdream (Epic Soul Factory)**


	6. Ch 6: The Alliance

**Chapter 6. Honestly? I just felt like writing about a crash-landing ship. Also decided to take a week-break but now I'm back.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

Chapter 6: The Alliance

 _One hundred years later…_

* * *

Pink was feeling anxious to say the least. Within the hour, if all went well, the rebellion would truly begin to take form, a force to be reckoned with. If not, it would likely fall apart completely into nothingness and she would be essentially alone in a fight against her sisters, outgunned, outnumbered and outmatched.

Pink looked over to Peridot, completely at home on a console as she was trying to establish the connection needed for their communications. She then let her eyes roam from one friend to another, her entire inner circle was here, as they should be. Her eyes then finally rested on Onyx, already transformed into her guise as Pink's mouthpiece. She had an earpiece in place to speak her words, and she'd need to choose them quite carefully indeed.

Members from many different sectors had agreed to meet, to discuss joining the rebellion and setting up operations in their part of the empire and that had not been easy to pull off. Years and years of espionage and diplomacy, courtesy of Onyx and Pink herself respectively, had finally managed to get them all gathered for a meeting.

To Pink's regret, but not her surprise, she had been unsuccessful with some. Many feared trying to oppose the established order and others felt the rebellion wouldn't have even a fraction of a chance against the military juggernaut that was the empire. She couldn't blame them for that. Though even in the worst of those outcomes she was confident that they wouldn't speak of the meeting. In time, perhaps others would be more convinced of their chances of winning, but until then these handful of representatives form possible factions would have to do.

"Opening channels in three… two…" Peridot said pointing to the center of a circular device. Within the device a dozen orbs floated within. Soon they began to move and glow and one by one, faces began to appear until all of them were on, and staring at Onyx.

"Greetings to you all." She began politely. "I want to thank you all for answering my call."

"It was the least we could do after all the trouble you went through." One of the orbs said, their voice vibrating the sphere as it sounded.

"Let's cut past the small talk." Another said, her voice lower, an agate of some sort it would appear. "We were all gathered here for a reason, so let's get on with it."

"Very well." Onyx said. "As you know, I declared independence from the empire a little over a century ago now, and the responses of the other Diamonds have been about as expected."

"With retaliation against… what was that planet called again? Ea-rth?" The low voice asked.

"Earth." Corrected another.

"And that's where I defeated Blue Diamond." Onyx reminded.

"A great feat, no doubt." Another voice cut in.

"But it was only against one." The low voice sounded again. "Yellow and White Diamond remain."

"We can beat them as well, in time." Onyx assured.

"By doing what?" The low voice came again. "Hitting supply lines and just _barely_ being able to keep the empire from relocating the Earth? You declared war on them a century ago and what do you have to show for it? A single Diamond gone yes, but that was right near the start of this war, what have you accomplished since then?"

Onyx frowned. "It's all we've been able to do just to keep them at bay, yes. But that's why we've contacted all of you." She looked form one sphere to the next. "We need to gather all those who can support the rebellion and have our factions on each world rise up to join us."

"You make it sound so easy." Another sphere sounded, a tinge of snark in its tone.

"Of course it's not easy!" Onyx said exasperated. "Nothing worth having comes easy! But we still have to try."

"And why is that?" the low-voiced sphere rumbled. "Your mantra about freedom and choice are all well and good, but what does that mean really?"

Onyx practically mouthed the words back in disbelief. "'What does it-?' It means what it means! Gems everywhere having the choice to use their powers and live their lives however they see fit."

"And how do you know gems even _want_ that?" Came the snarky voice. "Most, if not all of us, lead perfectly happy lives living in the empire. We go about our jobs, do what we're told and are usually happy to do it." The voice stopped as if giving pause to ask the other orbs too. "Now you want us to turn on the empire, whom we owe our very existences to, for what? Some vague ideal about choice? Why should we follow you? Why should we take such a risk and rebel?"

Onyx's lips creased with silent frustration. "If you really feel that way, why did you even agree to this meeting?"

"Because your, I don't even know what to call her, diplomat? Spy? She managed to convince me that Pink Diamond had a plan, one that would improve the lives of all. So, I wanted to see for myself." The snide voice retorted. "Now I'm here and it just sounds like ambiguous idealistic rhetoric. If you want my aid in this war of yours, you need more than that." The other orbs murmured in agreement.

Onyx was silent for a moment, she wasn't quite sure what to say, Pink had taught her most of what she wanted her to say, but now she felt at a loss. Her earpiece buzzed and she listened as Pink gave instructions on what was to be said.

"Gem-kind has existed for over a hundred thousand years." Onyx began her voice steady and patient. "When White Diamond first emerged, she laid down the basis for what would come to be the empire today. She was made the ruler of the first gems because she was far more powerful than any of them and she accepted that burden. At first, she ruled gently but in time Yellow and Blue Diamond emerged and changed the society into the rigid and obtuse hierarchy you see today."

The orbs remained quiet, curious to see where she'd go with this.

"But don't you see? It doesn't have to be that way. Gems could have a choice in what they really want to do." She paused looking to them all. "I mean, haven't you all ever wondered what it would be like if you really just stopped and asked yourselves 'What is it I desire?' 'What do I want to do with my existence?' My sisters will _never_ allow you to question them like that, but I will. Your lives don't have to be decided before you even exist, you can ask those questions and make your own choices." She clenched her fist. " _That's_ what I'm fighting for."

Another long pause, soaking in Pink's speech delivered via Onyx.

The low voice finally rumbled again. "But why?"

The snarky voice came back. "Yes, why? You are a Diamond. You already had all this freedom to yourself, so why didn't you just do whatever you wanted?"

Onyx gave a warm smile as she heard the words from Pink Diamond and repeated them to the orbs. "Because what I wanted, above all else, was to be one of you." She looked off and to the side. "When I was made a Diamond, your leader, I was told I was above you, that it was beneath me to try and interact with common gems." Her gaze retuned to the orbs. "But I am a gem too, and I think you should all have the same choices and freedoms that I have." She chuckled lightly. "Perhaps I sound like a broken audio recorder, but I only repeat that I want freedom and choice because, that's truly what I want for you, all of you. There's no ulterior motives, no underlying message. It's just the simple fact that as a gem, I think all other gems should enjoy the same freedoms that I have."

Another pause and another soaking in of words.

A new voice spoke up, this one clear and feminine, having an almost musical one to it. "Your words sound… genuine."

Onyx looked at that particular orb, one that was of a bronze color. "You sound surprised."

"It's just… when I heard about a Diamond going rogue and fighting other Diamonds, I thought for sure it was for her own sake." The orb replied. "I thought that this new Diamond simply had a lust for power and control and doesn't want to share it with the others, that it couldn't possibly really be for our sake, that 'fighting for the common gem' was just a tactic to gain supporters in her bid for power." The gem smiled. "But seeing you here, and listening to your words, you give me hope that you really believe what you say, and you're really going to do what you want to do. Which is why, on behalf of colony Vaadin, we would be honored to join the rebellion."

"Same goes for us!" Another orb cut in as it lit up, a turquoise hued orb. "Navak is with you."

"Forrle stands ready."

"Djini as well."

"Ovu too."

"Zeer will stand with you."

"We of Minolanos will join."

"Loryn will fight."

"As will Peargi."

"XIshi as well."

Onyx looked to the last two orbs, only they remained silent.

The snarky orb chuckled. "Well, why not? A little change might be fun. Canaan will join."

Onyx's gaze was cast towards the last orb and she eyed it carefully. "Hmph, well, I suppose that you deserve at least a chance to prove your words. Hojak will join, for now."

A wave of relief washed over the entire room. Pink Diamond allowed herself to relax for a moment, they'd finally done it. Her focus then returned as she spoke back into Onyx's ear. "Good, now that we've got that settled, let's get down to business."

* * *

 _Three months later…_

* * *

Things had moved fast in the last few months, but finally, things were looking up.

Pink looked out the station view port, seeing the endless sea of stars that made up the cosmos. She watched as ships started to pour out of hyperspace, their soon-to-be allies.

The last quarter year had been spent in preparation of this day, and they had been cutting it close, but they needed to move fast to outpace the empire. Entire systems were about to claim their shared independence and join them, only twelve, but it was only the beginning.

Pink turned to look at Onyx, standing by her side. "Ready?" she asked.

"Always." Onyx grinned.

* * *

Within the space station, a large gathering hall had been set up to accommodate the arrival of the rebellion leaders. Each planet's representative sat down in their assigned seat, flanked on their side by the gems they had brought with them.

The table itself was ovular, a large space set aside for Pink Diamond herself while all the others sat on the ends or the other side of the table. All had arrived except for the Diamond herself and the attending members murmured amongst themselves. Everything went silent though as from a door opposite the one the diplomats had entered from, Onyx, in Pink Diamond form, walked in, members of her entourage behind her.

Onyx took the seat, towering over everyone, but keeping herself composed and doing her best to seem nonthreatening. Flint, and Peridot stood to Onyx's left while Rose and the pearls were on her right.

Onyx gave her most welcoming smile. "Welcome. I'm so glad to see you could all make it here."

None of the delegates spoke, all seeming eager to hear more of what Pink had to say so she went on. "This is the beginning everyone. This is where the rebellion will truly begin its campaign to overthrow the empire. In the years to come gems not even made will never know what it meant to serve without question, and it will be because you gave them that choice."

Hojak's representative, an agate, spoke up. "That's a lot of promises to keep and we're still at a major military disadvantage."

"The battles ahead will be hard, I won't deny that." Onyx agreed. "But still, we must succeed. And what better way to success than through good leadership?"

"Are you implying that you'll be fighting on the front lines yourself?" Loryn's representative, a sapphire, spoke up.

"Sadly, I myself cannot be on the front lines at all times." Onyx admitted. "I need to be able to manage all the rebellion's activities, not just our military strength, but also our research and development teams, our spies, our resources, everything."

The agate spoke again. "And what about White and Yellow Diamond?"

Onyx's voice grew cold. "When the time comes to face wither of them directly, I assure you, _I_ will be there." Her voice returned to normal as she continued. "However, we have a long way to go before we get anywhere near Homeworld space where my sisters will undoubtedly be. They will no doubt send their best tacticians and warriors after us, but will not dare to fight against me personally unless left with no recourse."

"How can you know that for sure?" Canaan's representative, an emerald, intervened. "Has it not already been proved that the Diamonds are willing to get their hands dirtied if they need it? Blue Diamond came to attack you, and from what I hear, that was a battle you nearly lost."

Flint scowled and opened her mouth to say something but Onyx fixed her with a look and the quartz shut her mouth before she even opened it.

"But I didn't." She remined. "And my sisters are unlikely to attack directly again."

"How do you figure that?" The agate asked.

"Because Blue Diamond was defeated in front of the entire empire." Onyx stated plainly. "Have you not stopped to consider how much of an embarrassment that was for them? One of only three leaders, wiped out by a rebel within only months of her rebellion starting."

"…Which is why there's unrest in the empire right now, and so many considering joining your cause." The emerald finished.

"Now you're getting it." Onyx said with a coy smile. "They can't risk going out themselves because there's too much risk for too little reward. If either one of them falls, it'll mean more destabilization for the empire and more support for the rebellion."

"But they might risk it, if, for instance, they knew exactly where you were." Emerald deduced, a coy smile of her own on her lips.

The whole room when silent for a moment and Onyx narrowed her eyes at Emerald. She then opened her mouth, speaking slowly. "Yes, if they knew exactly where to strike, I suppose they would." She then narrowed her gaze. "Not that there's anyone here who'd tell them, right?"

Another round of silence.

"Good." Onyx's voice brightened again. "Now we need to get down to the important parts." She motioned to her to either side of herself. "These gems you see before you I picked out personally to help me with the organization of this rebellion, they are my eyes and ears and I trust them implicitly."

Onyx made a motioned with her hand and the two quartzes took a step forward. "This is Rose Quartz and Flint. Both hardened warriors. Both skilled tacticians and strategists. They will be heading up the military side of the rebellion, all orders given by them you are to follow as if I had given them myself."

The delegates murmured again, some of them looking at the others while others whispered to their home-planet companions.

Agate spoke again. "We can't give you all our military might! It's our only way of defending ourselves!"

No, because you won't be rebellion, none of you will not yet." Flint said taking a step forward.

"It's too risky to launch an open invasion of a colonial world, we don't have the firepower." Rose added. "Which is why, you will be rebels but in secret."

"So, you _don't_ want us to join?" The amethyst asked clearly confused.

Flint sighed. "That's not what we're saying." She pointed out one of the windows. "We can't have you all doing small little rebellions on your own worlds because the empire is just going to stop you out flat." She explained. "We're going to amass our ships and when the time is right and we'll signal you and then _bam_!" she said punching one fist into the other hand. "Hit 'em from both sides"

"That… actually sounds pretty smart." Agate said with consideration.

"It has to be smart." Flint replied dryly. "Sneak attacks are our greatest weapons right now."

"So… what are the others for?" the amethyst asked looking to the pearls and Peridot.

Onyx motioned again and Peridot stepped forward. "This my newfound friends, is my dear Peridot. A master of technology, biology, astronomy, just to list a few. Her mind has been one of the most influential in helping make the base for this rebellion." Onyx then motioned to the station they were in with a wide arm gesture. "Even the base you're standing in right now is her handiwork."

The delegates glances around, as if really seeing it for the first time. "Impressive, isn't she?" Onyx asked, glancing over to Peridot who was now wearing a small, yet noticeable, prideful smile.

"It is impressive…" The sapphire agreed.

There were murmurs again but they quickly dissipated as Onyx went on. "At any rate, she is indeed quite intelligent, but as our rebellion grows larger it's not something she'll be able to handle all on her own. She needs your best engineering gems to work with her so that they may be able to keep up with homeworld's tech. This may be even more imperative than our military movements considering Yellow Diamond's propensity towards war. Which means that also unlike the military side of things, you all need to send us as much information as you can, whenever you can."

"But who will develop the technologies with the gathered information?" Emerald asked. "It's not like we can mass produce these things without the empire ever knowing."

"No, you can't." Onyx agreed. Our forces on Earth for now will have to be enough. We also may need to steal some ships and tech straight out of homeworld's hands so that we may use it against them."

The agate pointed towards the pearls. "And is that what they are for? Espionage? Sabotaging?"

Onyx's face shifted to a plain expression. "No… no, that position is being filled by another."

"Who?" Emerald asked. "And why are they not here?"

"They are away, unfortunately. In fact, she's doing a very important job for me as we speak." Onyx said slyly. "But don't worry. You'll all get to know her eventually. I'm sure she's just as eager to get to know all of you."

Emerald said nothing, her expression becoming something unreadable as the sapphire spoke up again. "So, what _are_ the purposes of the pearls?" she asked.

Onyx motioned one last time and the pearls simultaneously stepped forward. "They are my personal liaisons. If you have need to contact me personally or some problem unrelated to military might or technology, they'll be the ones you talk to first." She clasped her hands together in front of her and laid them in her lap. "As I mentioned, I'm running a rebellion here and that's going to be difficult if I have to deal with everyday mundanity. They are here to make sure my time is not wasted."

The pearls gave a simultaneous bow to all present.

The sapphire spoke up. "So, are you going to tell us our next move now?" she asked.

"I know you can see the future and all, but try not to get ahead of the rest of us." Onyx asked politely. "We need to really send a message to the empire that we can fight and liberate planets, which means that we need to fully liberate a planet."

More soft discussion amongst the gems before they quieted again. The sapphire spoke up. "You're coming to our world?"

"Yes, Loryn is the closet colony to Earth, and one that is relatively lightly defended, so it will be the first on our campaign to liberate gems." Onyx informed. "We will send you a signal, after which you will have fifteen minutes before we initiate the invasion." She then looked to the rest of the table. "As for the rest of you, keep in touch and inform us of any relevant information such as new colonies joining us or imperial movements within your sector. Any further questions?"

No one said anything, taking in everything they'd just heard.

"Good. Safe travels to you then. The meeting is concluded."

All but Onyx and her friends rose from their seats and piled out the door. Some gave small thanks and others simply gave gestures or nods of acknowledgement to Onyx.

Once they had all left Onyx gave a sigh of relief and returned to her true form as the door from behind opened again and the real Pink Diamond wheeled out.

"Well, I think that went pretty well." Pink Pearl started.

"As well as could be expected, at least." Her white counterpart agreed.

Onyx jumped to the floor, out of the seat which was now much too big for her, and turned to Pink. "Still, it wasn't perfect. Do you think I should keep tabs on them?"

Pink stopped just short of the table and her friends gathered around her as she looked down on all of them. "No, not more than we already have anyways."

"That emerald seemed pretty mouthy." Flint pointed out. "I mean did you see what she did when we started to talk about the other Diamonds? She was practically threatening you."

Pink shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I think she was just testing me, or rather Onyx. She wanted to watch reactions and see what I, or rather she, would do."

"And doing nothing while someone blatantly questions and challenges your authority is a good thing?" Flint asked.

"I gave Onyx specific instructions not to overreact." Pink informed. "Had She shouted or exploded with outrage at the challenge, it would make me seem volatile and short tempered. Neither of these are qualities with which I want to be associated with."

"Meaning that by not taking such obvious bait, you seem patient and thoughtful, which _are_ the qualities you want to be associated with." Rose deduced.

"Exactly." Pink said, her knowing smile on her lips. "None of these gems strike me as the type to betray me. Still, we should all remain vigilant to the possibility."

Rose then spoke again, looking from her to Flint. "Should we start our plans to attack Loryn, then?"

Pink nodded. "Yes. This will be our first real step towards taking down the empire."

* * *

 _Far Far away…_

* * *

"Get our forces ready we need to hit Loryn." Came the scratchy transmission before it cut out.

Plume Agate smiled to herself. "I thought that would never pay off." She said to herself.

She then walked over to the far side of the console, accessing an audio-only transmission back to Homeworld itself. "Did it come in loud and clear, my Diamond?" she asked.

"Yes." Yellow Diamond's voice answered back. "You've done very well, Plume, vry well indeed. This might even be enough to get your own pearl."

Plume's grin widened. "Such praise, thank you my Diamond."

"That will be all for now." Yellow said attempting to end the call.

Plume looked confused and quickly answered back before Yellow hung up. "Um… e-excuse me my Diamond?"

'What is it?" Yellow asked, clearly annoyed.

"It's just… should we not get our own forces together? And set course for Loryn?" She asked.

There was a few moments of silence. "No. You have your orders. Yellow Diamond out." With that Yellow Diamond finally hung up.

Plume Agate looked confusedly from the console's cut transmission to where Loryn was on the star maps. "Why is she not attacking? What is she waiting for?"

* * *

 **Done. Great. I feel like writing battle scenes next chapter.**


	7. Ch 7: Strike Back

**Chapter 7. Why do I feel like I've been in a writing rut? Did you guys not like the last two chapters all that much? I spent two weeks this time trying to come up with something good, hope it paid off.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 7: Strike Back

 _400 Years Later…_

* * *

Rose Quartz looked to the sky, ships were soaring by each other at breakneck speeds. All was going smoothly on Heidapa, she'd made sure of that over these past few years since its liberation from the Empire. Luckily for her, the battle for it had been rather short, it was a relatively unimportant planet and the empire had only enough gems there to keep it going. Once the invasion had commenced it was less than a week before surrender.

Since then, Rose had come herself to make sure reconstruction and integration into the rebellion went as smoothly as possible. And just as she was about to leave the planet for others in need of her help, she'd gotten a message from an old friend. Being the courteous gem she was, Rose had invited her to see all she'd been able to do. Still, even if the gem in question had little interest in the progress, it would be good to see her regardless.

Speaking of which…

The clouds parted as a ship, significantly larger than others around it, made it way to the landing pad Rose had prepared and touched down. After a few moments, a single passenger stepped off, the sun shining off her skin and making its grey hue seem lighter, almost a dull white. The gem quickly spotted Rose and the two made their way towards each other.

Once they were no more than a few feet apart, they stopped standing apart from each other.

"Commander Rose Quartz." The gem greeted, her expression straight-faced and professional.

"Commander Flint." Rose replied, her expression mirroring Flint's.

The two stood apart for a time before the both of them allowed smiles to crack upon their features, little by little until they started giggling, soon followed by full blown laughter. They both ran forward to meet each other in a warm embrace.

"Flint! It's so good to see you!" Rose said as she hugged.

Flint returned the gesture as best she could. "It's good to see you too, Rose." They broke them embrace but held their hands together. Flint looked left and right and gave a quick low whistle of approval. "Wow, look at this place. You really did good work here."

Rose beamed at that, letting go of their hands and motioning for Flint to follow her before she replied. "It wasn't easy, but then it never is. Weeding out the imperial-loyalists, establishing the new laws, ensuring freedom while also making sure that everyone's pulling their fair share…" she listed off.

"Ah, admit it, Rose. You love this stuff." Flint accused. "What would you do if you couldn't make lives better for others?"

Rose laughed at that. "Well, I suppose." She decided to start with a bit of small talk. "Have you seen the others lately?" she asked.

Flint shook her head. "No, haven't been anywhere near Homebase in… stars… decades now I guess, maybe longer, who knows? But I still do hear from them, from time to time."

"Me too." Rose said. "Just the other day I had a message from the pearls. White seemed, as usual, wanting to talk for hours, I mean stars can she go on and on."

Flint gave a chuckle. "Looks like the farther away you get the more she likes you." She teased.

Rose sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Yes, well, I like her too."

"Though not nearly as much." Flint muttered to herself before actually continuing the conversation. "Good to hear she's doing well. And the others?"

Rose cheery demeanor seemed to darken. "Well, good and… not so good." She said with hesitation. "Pink Pearl's doing fine and so is Peridot but…" She sighed. "But it seems that Pink Diamond, she's been getting weaker these past few years."

Flint looked saddened but unsurprised as she took a sigh as well. "You know Boss, always trying to push herself harder than she should." Her eyes narrowed. "Always thinking about everyone else's wellbeing… except her own."

"Peridot and the pearls rarely leave her side these days, always tending to her." Rose went on. "And while Pink pushes herself to do more for the rebellion and the cause, in the end it may end up only setting us back if she refuses to pace herself."

Flint made a derisive snort. "But she won't."

Rose gave a weary smirk. "No, she won't."

After a few moments of silence Flint finally asked. "And… Onyx?"

Rose shrugged. "Haven't spoken to her in a while myself. But the last time I did she seemed torn."

"About what?" Flint asked.

"She told me about how she wants to try and sneak into the empire, as in sneak into Homeworld itself, and see if she can't do some damage or get us information or something of use." Rose said tiredly. "But she also doesn't want to leave Pink's side, like the other three. Though more in the sense of defending her, rather than trying to heal her or help her with running the rebellion's forces."

"Well she did catch those two gems who tried to spy on Pink Diamond herself. Though whether they were form the empire or just overly-curious allies, no one can be sure." Flint said, remembering the incidents.

"Yeah, well, anyways, last I heard Pink sent her to go check up on things on Earth." Rose informed. Her smile faded a bit as she changed the subject to a more serious one. "What's been the news from the front?"

Flint's face spoke of uncertainty and It was reflected in her tone. "Pretty spectacular, if I'm honest." She replied. "It feels like the empire is trying to outclass us in every which way they can, but it feels random and disorganized." She brought up her hand as she listed things off. "Their weapons, their tactics, their numbers. It feels like they try something new every time we see them in battle."

"Shouldn't you be happy if things are going so well?" Rose asked.

Flint gave a grunt. "I know I should, but it shouldn't be this easy." She shook her head. "What I really think is that, because so many worlds are left to just exist for such a long time, when we declared war on the empire, their response was simply to hold us back and defeat the invaders. There's no uniformity to anything out here, but I think that may soon change."

Rose raised a brow. "Oh? Why is that?"

In response Flint stopped and pulled out a small disk-shaped device. Rose stopped as well and watched as Flint push a button on it. Soon a very compact galaxy was laid before them. Flint pressed another button and soon many pink dots appeared on the edges of the galaxy and began to creep in. "These are all the regions we've liberated so far." She then pressed another button and many more white and yellow dots appeared towards its center and out towards the middle and farther rings of the galactic arms, appearing almost to be twice as big. "And this is what's left."

Rose frowned. "Is that really it? I mean, it feels like we made so much progress, but when you look at how much left we still have to go."

"I know, but that's not even the worst of it." She pointed towards the center of the empire, Homeworld space. "What I think they're doing is allowing us to take fringe worlds one after another while consolidating their real power towards Homeworld and its surrounding colonies. They may also be collecting data from each battle, see which of the many varied weapons and tactics work on us and which don't."

"And they would sacrifice so many colonies just like that?' Rose questioned.

"I can't be sure," Flint admitted. "but it does make a kind of sense. They know that our goal is liberation of all gem kind and we have been mostly hitting outer arm regions. If they allow those to fall while saving up all their real might near Homeworld, then we're about to hit a wall, a very big one too."

Rose frowned. "Well, if you're right, what should we do about it?"

Flint returned the expression, putting away the device and resuming walking. "I'm not sure, that's why I came to you. I was hoping you had some ideas."

Rose put a hand to her chin in thought and closed her eyes, still walking forward. "Well, I was hoping to show you around a little bit but…" She dropped her hands ad opened her eyes to Flint. "Let's head towards central station, Pink might know what to do."

Flint gazed at her curiously. "Are you sure that's necessary? I mean I could be completely wrong about this."

Rose looked her square in the eye. "Do you feel completely wrong about this?"

Flint was silent, clenching her fist. "No. No, there's definitely something up, I can feel it."

Rose nodded. "Given what you've told me, I'm getting that feeling too."

"Still, I can't help but hope I'm wrong." Flint said grimly.

"Me too." Rose agreed as they ran off towards the central spire.

* * *

Pink looked out the window of the space station and sighed, here she was, again, sitting here and looking out into the vast emptiness of the cosmos. These days it never felt like she did anything anymore. Flint and Rose had the military side of things covered, Peridot was controlling all their research and development, the pearls were handling… just about everything else. It felt like forever since there had been something that required her attention, but no, all was calm and taken care of.

It was actually pretty boring.

Her attention was suddenly caught as she heard beeping from the communicator built into the wheelchair. She pressed the communication button. "Yes?"

Pink Pearl's voice came over. "You got a personal message Pink, it's Flint and Rose."

Pink pressed the button again. "I'm on my way."

* * *

The pearls and Peridot were already in the smaller communications room Peridot had made for personal calls and so the rebels wouldn't catch on to Pink's secret from them. The communicator was already active, Peridot speaking to two figures Pink knew quite well.

The green gem turned around as Pink rolled in the holograms also looked up to see Pink coming in.

"Pink, it's good to see you." Rose said politely.

"And you." Pink said returning the simple greeting.

"Boss." Flint said giving a nod of acknowledgement.

Pink returned the gesture. "Flint." She eyed the both of them. "So, I assume this isn't just to say Hello."

Rose's smile faltered. "If only."

"So?"

The two quartzes looked at each other and then turned back to the front. "We were hoping you could weigh in on a problem we were having." Rose started.

Flint jumped in as soon as the last word left Rose's mouth. "Pink, I think we need to stop expanding into empire territory and shore up our defenses more."

Pink gave a confused look. "You want us to stop…?" She asked. "But we've been doing so well. Especially these past few decades."

Flint's face grew with concern. "That's what I'm worried about. It's been too easy, it _shouldn't_ be this easy."

"What are you saying exactly?" Pink asked her eyes squinting at the holographic image with focus.

"The empire's planning something, Pink I th—k w- sho—d con—der-" The image began to blur with static.

Pink looked over to the two pearl who were fiddling with the communicator, attempting to fix the problem. "Rose? Flint? I didn't catch that last bit, say again?"

"Wha-?" The hologram said before the static completely took over and the communicator hissed.

"What's going on?" Pink asked. "What happened to our feed?"

Peridot herself was now attempting diagnostics on the communicator looking more and more frantic as she accessed the data. "Our long-range communications are being jammed!"

"What?!" Pink said her eye going wide with surprise. "Can't you switch us to a different channel?"

Peridot shook her head. "It's no good, something's blocking out the entire frequency band!"

Suddenly alarms began to ring. "What now?!" Pink said watching as lights began to flash.

White Pearl was the one to answer this time. "Our deep space early-warning systems have gone off, and were subsequently silenced."

Pink Pearl poured over the new data with her counterpart. "Something big is headed this way!"

* * *

"What happened?!: Flint asked as the technician gem attempted to fix their communications.

"I don't know, everything is fully operational! It's like there's something interfering with our signal from the outside!" She answered.

"Enemy ships have appeared in orbit!" another gem shouted from across the room. "Order Commander Rose!?"

"Gert out defense network online now! All gems are to report to their defensive positions!" Rose barked.

"Deep space communications are not responding! Planetary communications are down!" The first gem said her voice shrill with panic.

"What? No communications? Then-" Rose began, her mind racing.

"Rose! Have teams sent out to other major bases on the planet, I gotta feeling we'll need all hands on deck for this!" Flint said as she marched past, making for the exit of the spire.

"Where are you going?!" Rose shouted.

"I have to get to my crew!" she shouted back over the panic voices in the room.

Flint ran off but Rose was soon on her, attempting to catch her as the base scrambled. "Wait! Flint!"

The grey quartz had made it past the entrance of the building and was now in an almost full on sprint towards her ship, which was still on the landing pad. Rose managed to catch up with Flint and called out again, her eyes widening with fear. "Flint! WAIT! DON'T!" with that she dived for Flint and tackled her to the ground.

Flint tried to push her away. "Let go Rose! I need to-!"

 _ **KRA-KA-BOOOM!**_

The sound of the explosion was deafening, and Flint suddenly felt hot air rush towards her face, causing her to involuntary shut her eyes. She opened them again and to her horror saw her flag ship in ruins and on fire. The platform which on which it lay began to creak and strain before giving way and falling to the streets below.

Rose quickly got to her feet. "Get the shield up, NOW!" she barked.

Nearby gem nodded to one another and ran to two large pylons on either side of the pylon. After a few moments, a large beam of energy gathered in the spire's tip and shot into the sky, creating a white-ghostly dome over it and the surrounding areas.

In the distance Flint saw as other spires began to do the same. Rose quickly got Flint to her feet and shouted to her. "Take control Flint! Make sure our defenses hold!"

"What about you?!" Flint shouted back over the sound of bombardment on the shields.

"I'm going to get reinforcements from the other bases!" Rose shouted. "They're focusing fire here, but if I can gather our planetary forces we might be able to push them back!"

Flint nodded. "I'm on it! Good luck out there!"

Rose grinned. "You too!" With that they each ran off, Flint towards the spire and Rose towards the nearest ship.

* * *

"How did they get so close?!" Pink shouted as she watched the enemy signatures get closer.

"They've been blocking communications!" Peridot said hysterically.

"Do we have visual, yet?" Pink asked, calming herself down and allowing her mind to switch entirely to tactics.

"Not yet, but the vessels we're seeing they're… they're like nothing we've see before…" Pink Pearl said, looking at the reading she was getting.

"Warships?" Pink asked.

"Yes, but bigger, _much_ bigger." Peridot said, also looking at the data while simultaneously doing about four other tasks.

"Get out shields up! Get out guns ready! And get our ships mobile!" Pink said with haste. "We need to be battle ready right now!"

"Wat ahead of you!' Peridot said. "Our ships are already screening a defense of the station, our shields are up and our guns are at the ready!"

"Visual confirmation in three… two…" White Pearl said before all present looked out the large window.

At first, they couldn't see anything.

Then Pink Pearl pointed. "There!"

Everyone followed her finger and looked to see the ship, and to say the ship was unusual was a bit of an understatement.

To put it simply, it was a massive metal arm, floating through space, its haul sparkling next to starlight with its glossy gold-yellow coating.

It stopped, just outside of the blast range for the station and the ships that were guarding it.

"We're being hailed." Pink Pearl informed. "Audio only."

"Put it on." Pink said.

Just like that, a sudden screech was heard and then Pink heard the voice she both expected and dreaded. "Hello, Pink."

"Yellow. I see you finally managed to find us." She observed.

"Oh yes. You made it exceedingly difficult, especially when you messed with out star map data, but no matter. We're here now, and that's all that matters." Yellow replied.

"'We'?" Pink asked quizzically. "You have reinforcements then."

"You sound almost surprised." Yellow noted, though the usually arrogance in her voice that Pink had come to know was mysteriously absent.

"I suppose I shouldn't be." Pink agreed. "So is this a 'surrender or die' sort of message."

"No, I'm afraid not." Yellow replied. "What you have done is beyond forgiveness Pink. You actions will have impact on our society for millennia to come, your failure echoing in our halls even long after your demise."

"You haven't destroyed me yet." Pink shot back.

"I know. That's why I wanted to say… goodbye." With that the transmission was cut and even more ships started to appear from deep space. One, three, seven… fourteen ships, all a bit slammer than Yellow's flagship and all beginning to move towards them in a typical military fashion.

"Move to intercept! Focus fire on the smaller ships flanking the flagship first!" She ordered as the battle began.

* * *

Yellow watched as the station's defenses powered up. "Move in carefully, I don't want the fleet to break formation yet." Yellow ordered.

"Yes, my Diamond." The pilot said.

"My Diamond, incoming call, from White Diamond." Another said.

"Put it through." She said, coming over the auditory channel. "Is it time yet?"

"The battle has only just begun, White." Yellow replied. "There isn't any path clear through yet."

"It is no matter, I shall make one."

* * *

"Are our defenses holding?" Pink asked, attempting to stay calm but anxiety none the less leaking through.

"For now." Peridot said, but we're outnumbered, and those ships got firepower like I've never seen."

"Don't take unnecessary risk, we have to use the station's own firepower to even the odds or our ships will be torn apart." Pink ordered.

"Another signature" White Pearl said, interrupting.

"Another one?" Pink asked.

"Yes, even bigger than Yellow Diamond's flagship." Pink Pearl added.

They all looked out again and saw another ship, much like Yellow's but larger and a gleaming silvery-white instead of gold-yellow.

"It can't be… she can't be…" Pink said in disbelief before shaking her head, snapping herself out of it. "I want magnification on that ship now."

Peridot entered a few more commands and an enlarged image of the ship was shone, but atop it's surface there was something there, something that looked positively miniscule but was the only noticeable thing on its haul.

"What is that…?" Peridot said looking at it.

"Enhance the zoom." Pink ordered.

"Peridot did so and suddenly Pink was face to face with the visage of her elder sister.

"White…" Pink said slowly, barely believing her eyes. Though she was slightly different one of her arms had a long sleeve that covered the entire appendage and she wore a partial mask, covering most of the left side of her face, but there was no doubt, it was her.

"It can't be…!" Pink pearl said.

"That's her?" White Pearl asked.

"What is she doing?" Peridot asked.

As if hearing the question, White raised one hand and bright light began to gather in her palm and she summoned it, her staff. A long ornately decorated scepter. She pointed it out towards the battle and light began to glow in its tip. A beam shot out from it and created a wall of light, cutting off a quarter of Pink's ship's off from one another.

Then, and with surprising ease, she moved the wall of light and it swept up the ships it came into contact with like it was nothing at all, being pushed off to the side like they were nothing at all.

"She created a hole in our defensive line like it was nothing…" White Pearl said in awe.

"Is she going to attack the station next?" Peridot asked fearfully.

Pink Narrowed her eyes. "No, look."

White Diamond was no longer on the surface of her ship and it began to align itself with the hole now.

"Is she going to…?" Peridot asked.

"Yes." Pink confirmed.

"Going to what?" White Pearl asked.

The question was answered as with a flash of light as the ship blasted off into hyperspace, just narrowly avoiding the station and the ships.

"Where did she go?" White Pearl asked.

"Only one other place she would go." Pink said a deep grimace upon her face.

* * *

White ship dropped out of hyperspace right next to the moon. White Diamond turned to her second-in-command of the ship, an agate. "We have the coordinates for the base?"

"Yes, my Diamond. We tracked the communications to this location." She answered.

"Stay in orbit, I shall be descending in my palanquin- "

"As you wish, my Diamond. We shall have regiments-" The agate began to reply

"-alone." She finished.

The agate stopped dead, looking up at her superior. "My Diamond, are you sure that's wise?"

"Do as I say, Agate." White Diamond replied calmly.

The agate bowed. "As you wish, my Diamond."

* * *

White Descended through the atmosphere and once she had landed where she needed, she looked around and gave a small humph as she looked around. "Building you base beneath a kindergarten Pink? Too clever by half." She said before she slid down the great wall, avoiding the holes as she reached the bottom.

She looked around, all was quiet.

But not dead silent.

White began to walk forward, closer towards the source and deeper into the heart of the kindergarten. Very faintly, she heard the sounds of machine whirling, cameras, she thought, someone was watching her.

She reacted with lightning fast reflexes as turrets from both the walls and the ground opened up on her. She dodged with graceful movement and while still dodging, used her left index finger to shoot a single beam out to each of the turrets. Before long they had all been dismantled and White was on her way.

She walked up to the doors of what would be the entrance to the kindergarten's monitoring center and found the doors sealed tight.

With a flick of her wrist, a giant white hand appeared, getting in between the seems of the doors and ripping them apart and off like they were made form tissue paper.

While once again slid down the shaft to the bottom, finding herself in the kindergarten's old hub.

She approached its center and a large screen. The screen flickered to life and went to static for a moment before a thin green line appeared on its screen. "You shouldn't be here." Its said. The voice sounded distorted and when it spoke the line jumped and vibrated onscreen.

"I disagree, for a number of reasons." White Diamond replied simply. "But then you know what I'm here for."

The screen remained silent for a moment, as if thinking to itself. "You'll never make it to her." It said.

"I must once again, disagree." She repeated. "if your defenses are as pitiful as those I've faced thus far, you'd be better off simply handing her over now." She paused. "Still, if you wish me to take her by force, then I will oblige you by all means."

"Let's see it then." The voice said before the screen went completely dark. Giant mechanical hands on either side of her. The right one attempted to crush her but White merely stepped to the side, allowing it to miss her by inches.

The left then swept in from above, but White once again dodged at the last second, feeling the breeze form the blow as it passed her by.

The hands attempted to grasp her but White summoned a dome around herself. The hands attempted to squeeze the white glowing ball, but they didn't so much as bend the barrier. But as quick as light, the barrier around White split into two and engulfed the two hands. White's fists clenched and the two hands were crushed into hardened pieces of scrap.

She let them fall to the floor and blasted apart the monitor for good measure.

Onyx watched the feed go dark as White blasted the monitor. She always knew this day would come, she just didn't expect it so soon. She clenched her own fist. "Watch over me Zircon, I'll make you proud."

* * *

 **Finished. Great. Please review.**

 **Wait… What's this? An actual question?! Isn't that rare?**

 **Celthevampire - Sorry but no.** ** **Beta Kindergarten is never built**. Meaning that t** **he circumstances that lead to Jasper's creation will never come to pass.**


	8. Ch 8: Prices Paid

**Chapter 8…. Great.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Prices Paid

Ruby shivered behind the corner. She peeked from behind it, seeing only a short hallway that split into left and right.

Did she see her?

Had she seen her?

No, no she was sure she didn't notice. How could she have?

…

But what if she had?

Oh _stars_ , what if she was coming for her right now?

Only a few minutes ago she had heard the loud footsteps of at least two dozen of her comrades going off to fight. They were gung-ho, "long live the rebellion" and other such mantras being said as they went. But then, a few minutes after she'd seen them go by, she heard the distant sounds of battle. But the silence took hold within seconds, and now Ruby heard nothing.

And she was coming.

She was straining herself, attempting to hear _anything_ coming her way.

But there was not a sound to be heard.

Until…

 _tap tap_

What was that?

 _tap tap tap_

It sounded like the sound of feet gently taping against the metal of the floor, a slow, steady, measured walking pace.

 _tap tap Tap Tap_

It was getting louder… no… it was getting _closer…_

 _Tap Tap… Tap_

Wait, the steady pace had broken. She could hear nothing again. But it had gotten louder and she had suddenly stopped, that meant… oh no…

Ruby could practically feel a single-eyed gaze wash and pass over her.

This was it.

It was over.

She closed her eyes, waiting for… whatever was about to happen.

But then.

 _Tap._

She opened a single eye.

 _Tap Tap_ _tap_

Both eyes.

 _Tap tap tap tap…_

The silence returned and Ruby let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

Tears began to form in her eyes and slowly make their way down her cheeks. But why did she cry?

Did she cry out of fear, because she'd never been so scared?

Did she cry out of shame, because she'd done nothing to stop her friends from being attacked?

Did she cry out of sorrow, that they might be gone forever?

Whatever the reason, she allowed herself to fall to the floor slowly, tuck her knees up to her chin and wept as silently as she could.

* * *

This was bad.

The thought echoed in Rose's mind over and over again, but never lost its volume, if anything, the thought got louder the more she saw.

Hot plasma fell from the sky like rain, withering away into nothing as they bounced off the shields. However, the unshielded parts of the colony were being hit hard. Rose watched as gems scattered from the flaming destruction around them, desperately attempting to survive, she knew she needed to hurry. Unfortunately, while she was flying one of the rebellion's faster ship models, she wasn't all that great a pilot herself. Still, she was almost to the first outpost, once she was there she could organize others to gather the remaining planetary defenses to fend off the invaders. She just hoped Flint could hold out long enough for her to arrive.

Flint watched the monitors in front of her with a grim expression. The ship that was bombarding them was high in the atmosphere, it was also being screened by hundreds of smaller ships that were taking the blows as it rained down on them. Their shields were not going to hold off from the bombing much longer either. If things continued going as they were, Flint would have no choice but to order an evacuation of the central colony hub, try and get as many gems to ships as she could and try and make it out before the shields fell.

They were lucky for those shields though, that little green gem of theirs had designed them to block things coming in or going out at a certain velocity, meaning laser fire, but to allow anything under that velocity in or out. Which was why many of the smaller ships protecting the dreadnaught had come in to try and disable the generator on their own. Their turret gunman had torn these pilots to pieces but they were persistent and for every one shot down another appeared.

Rose had better be back soon, or there'd be nothing left to save.

* * *

"AUGHHHH!"

Flint jerked her head at the sound and saw one of the monitors flash to static.

"We've lost one of our gunner towers!" One of the gems from inside called out.

Flint gritted her teeth. "What's the shield status?!"

"Our generator's being drained! We have less than ten minutes before it fails!"

"Keep trying our communications! We need to get help now! Dig in and prepare to retreat to the bunker!" She ordered before running out of the spire again.

"Commander Flint! Where are you going?!"

"To shore up our defense!" she called back. Her eyes quickly searched for the inert tower and found its smoking remains while enemy ships soared overhead. She ran to it and saw the gun battery had fallen and crashed to the ground.

Flint examined it for a moment, the grabbed it, lifted it onto her shoulder, essentially a cannon nearly seven times her size, and pulled back on some lose wires she saw dangling. The cannon came to life and Flint clumsily aimed the thing, quickly adjusting to the kickback and began to fire as fast as she could, screaming at the top of her voice all the while.

Pink grimaced, things were going from bad to worse. The hole White had created had been quickly capitalized by Yellow Diamond and now her elder sisters' forces were beginning to barrel down on them.

* * *

The station rumbled as another hit was barely deflected by their station's shields.

"Shield still holding!" Peridot announced.

"What about our ship's coordination?!" Pink asked worriedly.

"I'm sending them digital data on battle formations Pink, but by the time they adjust Yellow Diamonds forces have already exploited our tactic!" Pink pearl answered as she typed away.

"Keep it up!" Pink ordered before looking to White Pearl. "Are communications still down?"

She shook her head. "It's no good, I can't get a single thing through." White Pearl replied back.

Peridot gave a shocked look as new data keep streaming in. "Our fourth ship is gone!"

Pink's thoughts were racing. They had only managed to take out two ships and they had just lost their fourth, over half their forces. They had no means of instant communication, she needed to think of something.

"Order them to prepare to jump to another system!' Pink said. "If another ship falls there will be no point in losing more, this isn't a battle we can win."

The three looked to each other and then nodded as they began to send the data.

"Peridot." Pink said gaining the green gem's attention. "Their attacks have been mostly focused on our ships, I believe that means they want the station to survive, meaning they wish to take me intact." She narrowed her eyes. "I do not intend to allow that to happen, understood?"

Peridot gave a solemn look then nodded once and looked to the Pearls. "Take care of things here you two. Pink and I have to prepare."

The two pearls nodded in unison and returned to their work as Peridot and Pink exited the room.

* * *

Pink and Peridot made their way into the very heart of the station, Peridot's personal laboratory. Luckily, it had been built with purpose, near Pink's personal command center. Peridot opened the room and a lab with technology of all sorts was strewn about, as well as experiments from clearly different and distinct fields. Peridot walked past it all and accessed a panel on the back wall. She quickly entered a code and another panel near the first opened up.

Peridot reached in and took out a single vial of a black substance. She walked back to Pink who eyed the vial disbelievingly. "That's it? That's all you could make?"

Peridot's face hardened with seriousness. "You have no idea how long it took me to get _this_ much." She said a matter-of-factly. "I could go on for _hours_ on how long it took me to make this, but we really don't have the time."

Pink looked to her worriedly. "Will it be enough?"

Peridot looked to it and then back to her. "Enough coverage? Yes. Enough to last? Well…" she trailed off.

"What's your best estimate?" Pink asked.'

"Ten… fifteen minutes?" Peridot answered. "Look this is really experimental, so I don't really have any real way to give a more accurate timeframe."

The station shook again and Peridot, nearly crushed the glass in her fist, but stopped short, leaving only a thin white crack up the vial's side.

"It'll have to do." Pink said before rolling over to a large metal slab, not unlike the one she had woken up on before she'd been put in the chair.

Peridot pressed a few buttons on the chair's side and the clamps that held Pink's gem in place came undone. Pink felt the pain rush back in an instant and once again her physical form began to lose its shape. She quickly threw herself on top of the slab and Peridot ran over to a console near said slab. Pressing commands into the console, the slab's side burst out and a belt, not unlike the one that had been stabilizing Pink before, shot forth.

The slab was then inclined a bit and Peridot looked from the vial to Pink one last time. "Are you sure-?"

"Peridot, we don't have time for this." Pink cut off sharply. "If we do nothing we're all goners anyways."

Peridot just shrugged. "Fair point." With that she stuck the vial into a receptacle on the slab and the liquid was quickly drained.

* * *

She had been walking for some time now and White was beginning to get a sense of the layout of the place. The farther she walked the closer to her goal she became. How did she know that? Because every time she had walked down a hallway and no one had been there, she'd moved on, but every time she encountered a fight with the rebels, usually with the sight of a dozen or so gem firing upon her, she knew she was headed down the right path.

Not that their little resistance mattered. A dozen gems, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand… it made no difference before White Diamond's power.

White's train of thought was derailed as she heard steps coming from the opposite direction. She readied herself for another fight, but then something made her pause. There was only one set of footsteps, and it was a heavier footfall than the gems from earlier had had.

The sound's source finally turned the corner and White was suddenly face to face with her own sister, Blue Diamond.

White eyes softened. "Blue…"

Blue Diamond's eyes widened with confusion at first. "Sister…?" Her eyes then widened with joy. "White!" she said sounding overjoyed, running towards White and embracing her. "I never thought… What are you doing here?!"

"I came to rescue you." White said simply.

Blue reached up toward White's face. "What is-?"

"A price paid, for your safety." White replied.

Blue's eyes darkened. "Oh…" she stepped back. "I suppose… this is twice I owe you then."

White eyed her in silence for a moment then gave a small knowing smile. "No, I don't believe you owe me a thing."

Blue gave a confused look. "Are you joking? This is twice you've saved my life now! I owe you everything!"

White shook her head. "No, you don't. Because you're not Blue Diamond."

The hall seemed to fall deathly silent. White's gaze narrowed and Blue's became one of dep confusion. "White? What are you talking About? It's me, Blue-"

"Really now Onyx, you can drop the act." White said, eyeing the gem before her.

Blue Diamond's confusion quickly washed away into a small, smug, "you-caught-me" grin. "So, how long did you know?" she asked.

"The whole time." White answered. "Did you really think I wouldn't be able to recognize my own handiwork?" she asked.

Onyx gave a small chuckle. "Well, had to try I guess."

White was silent for a moment, looking thoughtful. "When you ran away, I thought I'd never see you again." She said at last, breaking the silence. "I thought for sure you'd pose as some common gem on a colony or retreat to some far-off back-water world, but here you are." She paused for a moment then voice another question. "How is Zircon?"

Onyx replied with only silence and White nodded. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

Onyx's face became a deep scowl. "Don't you mock me. Don't you mock _her_."

White's face remained relatively impassive. "I wasn't."

"You hurt her! You took away her voice!" Onyx said, venom seeping into her words.

"I punished her." White said, still perfectly calm. "I could have done much worse. I could have shattered her on the spot." The eldest diamond then crossed her arms. "Besides, I never would have known, if not for you."

Onyx's eyes screwed shut with pain. "I know. And I will never forgive myself for that. But even less…" her eyes opened filled with determination. "will I forgive you."

"Do you really intend to fight me Onyx?" White asked.

Onyx's body glowed with light and Blue Diamond's form was suddenly replace with the form of White Diamond herself.

White sighed. "You know you can't win. Yet still you fight?"

"Yes. Because there are some things worst fighting for." Onyx replied as she rushed towards White.

* * *

Flint continued to fire off blasts of energy, watching as the shields above began to flicker and fade. She threw the cannon off her shoulder, shouting to the gems in the other towers. "Retreat to the spire!"

Just as she finished those words she watched as the payload from the dropships began to come through, blowing up the towers just as the gem escaped them. Chunks of the spire began to crumble away under the barrage. A piece fell, landing on the walkway between Flint and the others gems entrance to the spire.

The grey quartz watched as several fighters came in formation towards them, and just as they were about to unleash their firepower, they exploded as they were hit from behind. A dozen or more ships flew by just then, rebellion models, and at the forefront was Rose.

Flint grinned as the other gem cheered. "It's about time!"

Rose looked down from her cockpit and smiled, before her look of determination returned and a dogfight quickly ensued.

* * *

"Press the attack." Yellow ordered. "Have our ships begin to move in."

"Yes, my Diamond." One gem said as she began to issue the order.

"My Diamond, enemy ships are attempting hyperspace jump." Another said.

"Send two ships after each that manages to escape." She ordered.

"As you wish, my Diamond."

Yellow watched the viewport as the rebellion ship jumped away, quickly followed by her own ships who jumped after them. Now there was only the station, and she still had her flagship and two ships left, the battle was nearly won.

"My Diamond, their shields have failed them, the station is now taking heavy fire."

"Order the ceasefire, give orders to board the station." Yellow commanded.

* * *

The pearls watched as the last of the ships fled and enemy ships followed quickly in pursuit. The remaining ships began to move in just as their shields failed.

Pink Pearl got from her seat. "There's nothing more we can do here."

White Pearl nodded. "I just hope Pink Diamond will be okay."

"We have to make sure she survives this." Pink Pearl replied to which White Pearl nodded in response, both drawing their weapon out and making for the door. But, just as they were about to reach it, it opened and their green friend came out, looking to the both in a sorrowful way.

"Peridot?" Pink Pearl asked. "What are you-?"

"We have to leave, right now." Peridot said quietly.

"What? The enemy is here we have to protect Pink-" White Pearl started.

"No, we have to go." Peridot said again quietly. "It won't be long before the enemy overruns the station, we need to get to the emergency escape craft."

"Wait, where is Pink Diamond?" Pink Pearl asked.

Yellow's boarding parties were met with heavy fire as gems and defenses alike turned on them. But they did not hold as the ships poured out a seemingly endless stream of soldiers and overwhelmed the initial defenses.

Yellow Diamond herself stepped out and surveyed the area, looking impassively at the scores of gems lying around and the destruction before her. She turned down to look at one of the agates by her side. "Which way?"

The agate pointed down the hall where her forces were already being met with more resistance. "That way, my Diamond."

Yellow nodded once and stepped forward, her large strides carrying her quickly over to where the station gems were dug in. The took aim and fired upon Yellow but a shield of electricity absorbed the energy and she fired it back upon them, taking them out as her own troops continued to advance.

Yellow's forces came across a large open amphitheater-like room, an elevator leading up at the far end. Rebellion gems were dug in once again, giving nearly twice as good as they got. The elevator from above began to come down, and the Rebellion gems began to stop their fire, soon Yellow ordered her own gems to do the same as the doors opened.

Pink Diamond slowly stepped from the elevator, the look on her face one of fierce determination, but that wasn't what caught Yellow's eye. On Pink's stomach, where her gem should have been, was instead a large splayed-out black substance, clinging to and covering most of her gem.

"Hello Yellow." Pink said, calmly.

"Pink, what-?" Yellow started before Pink Held up a hand.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather we just skip the formalities and just get to it." She said, taking a battle stance.

Yellow summoned her sword. "So be it."

* * *

Onyx flew back, hitting the wall behind her and sending small crack up its surface. The hallway had been torn apart, chucks of the walls, floors and ceiling were missing, slash marks lined the halls as well, all except for where White stood. During their entire fight, White Diamond hadn't moved a single step, and yet the Diamond had deflected her blows like they were nothing, had held her own and beaten Onyx back like it was as easy as snapping her fingers.

White took one step forward, then another, and another. Slowly she made her way over to where Onyx now lay slumped against the wall. "You've gotten stronger Onyx, I'm impressed. You were never really meant for combat you know."

In response Onyx summoned a blade and tried to lift it, but White quickly stomped on her wrist, causing Onyx scream in pain. "AUUGH!"

"No, Onyx, that's enough." White then held a single finger to Onyx's head and it began to glow. "It's time to cut this reunion short."

Onyx looked up at her and then glowed for a moment, reverting to her true form. She paused for a moment, thinking to herself before giving a weary smile. "If you see Pink again, could you tell her something for me?" She chuckled. "Tell her, I'm sorry I failed her." With that White's finger shot a single beam into Onyx's gem, causing it to light up for a brief moment before exploding, sending shards flying.

White lowered her arm and looked down the hallway where Onyx had come, at the far, far, end of it was a large sealed metal door. She approached it and just like the outer door to the base, managed to cut through the metal with great ease. White then found herself in a large rounded room, its only occupant jerked her head at the sudden commotion. Her eyes widened at the sight of her new and unexpected visitor. "White! Is that you?!"

White gave a thin smile. "Hello Blue."

* * *

As White finally exited the base, she looked back one final time, feeling somewhat melancholy. Her brief pause was broken as a rumbling from somewhere nearby caught her attention. Curiously, she followed the sound to its source and around the bend, White watched as stones rumbled in the Alpha Kindergarten and then a crack appeared in one of the walls. A purple arm and leg jutted out and, a soon a quartz gem finished pulling herself out and tripped, landing on her face.

White continued to observe the newly-made gem as she stood straight up, standing stiff. "Whew! Sorry about that, it took a little longer than I would have likes but I'm finally…" she looked around, at first, seeing nothing but darkness and mists of the long vacant kindergarten, but then gazing upwards at a gem that dwarfed her greatly. "…here?' She said softly.

White Diamond gazed down on her and Amethyst began to shrink a bit form the gaze. "Who are you?" White asked.

"I-I'm Amethyst… my Diamond." She said slowly, instinctively adding the honorific.

"You're a bit late, it would seem." White noted.

Amethyst looked around for a moment, noticing they were the only two there. "I-I guess s-so, m-my Diamond."

"What do you have to say for yourself, being this late?" White asked.

Amethyst cast her eyes to the ground and knelt down. "I… don't know."

White nodded once, not seeming to mind the sudden lack of "my Diamond". "Well, it can't be helped I suppose." She then bent down held out her hand before Amethyst like a platform. "Come, there's no reason for you to stay here."

Amethyst looked at her then her palm. "What are you going to do?"

"Give you purpose." White replied. "Unless you'd rather stay here, though I'd advise against it."

Amethyst thought for a moment, then climbed on the hand. White stood straight again and began to trek back to her palanquin. "Where are we going?" Amethyst asked.

"Home. It's time to leave this place for good." White informed as the two of them entered into the palanquin and blasted off into space.

* * *

Once back inside the ship, a group of quartzes and the agate were there to meet her. "My Diamond, I trust the mission was a success?"

"Unfortunately not captain, it seems the rebels had already destroyed Blue Diamond before we'd gotten here." White replied as she set down Amethyst on the floor.

The agate's face fell. "I see." She then turned to look at Amethyst. "Who is this, my Diamond?"

"A late one from the Kindergarten on Earth." White explained. "I just happened on her as I was leaving. Give her work to do for now. I'll see to a proper induction into our ranks at a later time."

Agate nodded then motioned for two gems to come and escort Amethyst away. The purple gem looked up to White who only nodded before the three walked off.

"Position us behind the moon captain. There's one last thing that needs done before we leave." White ordered.

"Yes, my Diamond."

* * *

White stood once more atop her ship, her scepter-staff already in hand. This would be most strenuous use of her powers in a very long time. She took a deep breath, aimed her scepter at the moon and a large stream of white light came out like a silver river.

It touched down upon the moon and quickly spread across its surface, taking less than a minute before the entire thing had been covered. Once it had been engulfed, White poured even more energy into it, and little by little, the planetoid began to shift and move out of orbit. She continued to use more and more of her power until momentum had finally taken hold and the celestial body was set on its course.

White tapped the hull of the ship twice with her scepter. "Captain, bring us about the Earth, now!" she ordered.

She could barely hear the response, but the ship quickly moved into a different angle and White watched as the moon began its descent down towards the planet.

White watched as the Earth's waters began to rise towards the planetoid, but only momentarily as the moon crashed into one of the large landmasses. She watched as the planet visibly shook and even out in space could feel the impact of the force. The crater lit up with great fire that evaporated the ocean around it and quickly spread outwards. The moon itself was now gone, but its point of contact was a glowing crater that had nearly exposed the planet's core. The destruction was as great as it was absolute, after a few minutes the planet simply glowed with red and orange like a cooled miniature star.

White went inside and was greeted with silence. None of the gems said anything as their Diamond took her seat on the bridge, many eyes varying between watching what was left of the planet and White Diamond. After several minutes of silence, and the worst parts of Earth's destruction over, White called out to the agate. "Captain."

"Yes, my Diamond?" She said quickly.

"Take us back to Yellow Diamond's battle. It's time to put an end to this rebellion."

* * *

 **Holy s#!t… Earth has met with a terrible fate… hasn't it?**

 **Wow… Please review…**

 **ajjw1121 - Sorry, while they may meet, being in the same court and all, the circumstances that lead them to forming Garnet will never come to pass.**


	9. Ch 9: The End

**Chapter 9, so we're finally here. And… wow that's a lot more reviews than usual. I should blow up planets more often.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 9: The End

Things on Heidapa weren't looking good.

Rose had brought reinforcements but at best it only made it an even fight. Their own warships were only two thirds the size of the one raining down on them now. Still, even without size or weaponry to directly battle against it, their ships had more mobility than the large cruiser, which could only move in small ways to adjust itself to the fight.

Rose had landed her craft and met up with Flint, the former evacuating the gems from the central spire while Flint continued to oversee defense.

"Our ships are taking a beating out there!" Flint said as she accessed the console to issue commands to the ships.

"I know, so is our bunker!" Rose said as she organized gems into the safer haven from a console opposite her.

"Peridot said that thing could take any beating!" Flint replied, as she hurried about her task.

"I don't think she expected the empire to have weapons of this magnitu-" Rose suddenly stopped.

Flint paused as she heard Rose's voice suddenly cut off. "What is it?!"

Rose looked at her console carefully, making sure what she was seeing was correct. She then hurriedly ran out of the room and Flint followed close behind. "Rose! Wait! The shield's down! It's… not… safe…?"

But it was safe, the two gems looked into the sky and saw no plasma raining down on them like it should have. In fact, aside from their own ships still circling around, there was nothing in the air at all.

The Empire's forces had gone.

* * *

Peridot shook her head. "We don't have time for this!" she said anxiously and turned and ran down the hall towards Pink's chambers.

"Peridot, wait!" Pink Pearl shouted before running after her, her white counterpart close behind.

Peridot ran into Pink's private chambers and ran towards the far wall. The pearls arrived just in time to watch Peridot knock twice on it and a console to shoot up from the floor. With a single keystroke, the far wall flipped over and an egg-shaped pod, just big enough for the three of them to fit in appeared.

Peridot motioned to it as she turned around to face the pearls. "This may be our only hope of getting out of here. Hurry and get in!"

The two looked at each other and then Peridot. "What about Pink Diamond?" White Pearl asked.

As if answering the question all three felt the station shake from somewhere below.

Peridot turned around to her. "She's trying to hold off Yellow Diamond right now so we have a chance to escape!"

"But we have to help her!" Pink Pearl protested. "We can't just abandon her to this place!"

"What choice do we have?!" Peridot asked, her face one of great unease. "What can we do against Yellow Diamond or her forces right now?! Two pearls and a peridot versus an army of agates and quartzes?! What possible difference in battle would there be?!"

"Even so we should try!" White Pearl said, joining her counterpart.

The station rumbled again from beneath and Peridot looked each of them seriously in the eye. "Do you think I want to do this?! Do you think I don't want to run down there and help her?!'

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU?!" Pink Pearl asked, her face now a mixture of anger and disbelief.

"BECAUSE SHE TOLD ME TO!" Peridot shouted back. The two pearls paused at this, confusion clear on both their faces as Peridot calmed down. "Because she told me to." She repeated, looking to the floor again. "She ordered me to leave with the two of you so we could regroup with our forces and plan a better attack rather than continue to try and fight in a battle that's already lost." She finished quietly, before looking back up and pulling out a blaster rifle. "And that's what I'll do, even if I have to destroy your physical forms and take you with me that way."

White Pearl's shocked expression persisted but Pink Pearl's turned to one of empathy as she took a step closer. "Peridot, please… You don't want to do this. You don't want to leave Pink Diamond to be destroyed here and you don't want to hurt either of us… put the blaster down."

Peridot's face faltered and slowly she lowered the rifle. "No, I don't…" She whispered quietly, her blaster suddenly raised as she shot two destabilizing blasts at both the pearls before either could react. "But I'm already losing one friend today, I refuse to lose two more." She finished.

* * *

Yellow and Pink clashed with great force, Yellow's sword creating shockwaves every time she made contact with Pink's tower shield. Yellow was upon her again, pushing down with all her might on Pink who took a knee. "You've grown weaker sister." Yellow whispered to her, their faces nearly touching. "You can't hold out much longer, can you?"

Pink suddenly shifted her weight to the side, allowing Yellow to fall forward and nearly oton her face, only to roll out of the way at the last moment. "Long enough, Yellow." She replied before the two clashed again, sending another shockwave throughout the station.

As they locked together once more, Pink saw out of the corner of her eye, a small streak of light out the viewport near them, coming from the top of the tower and going out into space. As she watched it fade away her gritted teeth softened into a smile. Yellow Diamond however quickly took advantage, noticing Pink's sudden distraction and knocking her to the floor, sending her shield out of her hands.

As Pink lay on the floor Yellow held the blade to her, standing over her, a disapproving frown upon her features. "You disappoint me Pink in so many ways. You were a Diamond, a gem for all to aspire to, perfection incarnate. Now look at you, the leader of a pathetic bunch of gems too stupid to know their place, or to realize when they've been beaten."

Pink's smile never left, in fact if anything it got even more cocky as she looked up at Yellow, determination still in her eyes. Yellow's irritation grew with her frown and she held the blade closer to Pink's throat. "And what do you have to be smiling about?"

Pink chuckled. "You may defeat me here Yellow, but so what? You may even destroy me here, but so what?" Yellow Diamond gave a slightly confused look at that and Pink went on. "I may have started this rebellion, but now that it's started, there's nothing you can do to ever really stop it."

Yellow drew back the blade entirely, allowing Pink to sit up a little. "What are you talking about? What are you planning?"

Pink smiled again. "I'm not planning anything Yellow. My plan was started and finished over five hundred years ago."

Yellow's gaze narrowed, still trying to find meaning in her sister's words. "Five hundred... what do you mean?!" She held the blade up again. "Speak plainly!"

Pink chuckled again. "Did you really think that winning this war was my ultimate goal?" she asked, then shook her head, answering her own question. "No, my plan was simply this. To get gems everywhere to ask 'Why'."

"'Why'?" Yellow repeated.

"Yes. 'Why'." Pink said, nodding. "'Why do I have to do this' 'Why do I have to follow the Diamonds' 'Why can't I do something for myself'. These questions and many more are now inside every gem everywhere, be it the empire or the rebellion, now every gem asks that." Pink explained. "And it is because they ask that that I've broken yours and Blue's and even White's hold on them. I've given them the ability and the strength to ask for more, and to better themselves _for_ themselves. And this will never go away." She chuckled one last time. "So yes, you may destroy me here Yellow. But in time, another gem will have the strength to ask that question and to rise up again. And maybe you put that gem down too, but another will come, and another after her, it'll keep happening till the end of time. So you see?" Pink asked finally. "It's like I said before. You may destroy me, but you only destroy a gem."

Yellow put her foot on Pink's chest and pressed down hard, holing the blade high in the air. "If what you say is true, so be it. I will crush each and every rebel that comes along, one after another. And if that still isn't enough then I will seek out all the disparaging thoughts that cloud the minds of gems and wipe them from existence as well." She ground her heel into Pink's chest causing the later to gasp. "And if it is their hope in you and that idea of yours that gives these rebels strength, then in time I will crush that too." With that she put both hands on her sword and pointed it downwards. "Goodbye Pink."

Suddenly a large blast from outside hit the station hard, causing it to shake violently. Yellow lost her footing and fell to the side, as did most of the other gems on either side of the battlefield.

Yellow looked angrily to her troops. "Who ordered firing on the station while we were aboard?!" Yellow demanded to know.

One of the agates present spoke up. "My Diamond! Our ships are pulling back! Including your flagship!"

"What?!" Yellow Diamond said before another blast sent them all tumbling again.

* * *

The captain looked to White Diamond a bit confusedly. "My Diamond, forgive me for asking but… Shouldn't we have waited longer for our troops to evacuate?"

White turned her gaze to her. "If we wait any longer the rebellion forces aboard will have more time to escape."

The captain nodded. "As you say my Diamond. Still, isn't Yellow Diamond aboar-" she was about to finish when she caught the ice-cold stare suddenly boring into her and immediately silenced.

"Continue the assault, I will be above for only a moment." White ordered as she left the room.

White Diamond summoned her staff and rode the elevator to the top, the roof of the vessel, and gazed outwards. She walked along until the was at the knuckle and watched as all the ships had continued their attack on the station. She pointed a single finger at it and began to trace it along its hull. "Now with a station designed this way and with that much power draw, the generators would have to be…" her finger stopped. "…there." A single thin beam of white light shot out and instantly pierced the point she had been aiming at. At first nothing seemed to happen, the energy hit its target and passed cleanly all the way through. Then explosions began to erupt along that area long the inside and the station's viewports suddenly went dark. The explosions ripped the station into two and the pieces momentarily floated away from each other before more explosions caused both halves to light up like a supernova.

Her job done, White descended back into the ship and walked along until she was at the bridge once more. She sat in her chair, waiting for the captain's inevitable address.

"My Diamond-"

"Send salvage crews out, I want every piece of that debris looked over, _now_." She said putting a great amount of emphasis on the last word.

* * *

Flint had just finished organizing salvage teams when she went out to check on Rose who looked out on the aftermath of the battle listlessly. She approached her distracted friend from behind. "Rose, I've gotten preliminary plans started to begin the cleanup operations but-" She noticed her words not getting through to the pink quartz and took a step closer. "Rose?"

"Nearly a decade of work, trying to turn this place into everything we could ever want out of it, gone under an hour." Rose said, her voice monotonous and steady. She looked out over the smoking wreckage. "Such a pointless fight."

Flint spoke up a bit at that. "It's wasn't pointless, we fought to protect this planet, to stop it from becoming occupied again."

Rose turned to her. "The empire didn't come here to try and take this planet back, they came here to destroy." She pointed to the central tower. "Look at that, not even trying to keep the infrastructure intact. But just when they could have won it all, they left."

Flint looked to the sky. "I don't agree. Seems to me it was a diversion."

Rose's expression was a questioning one. "Look around, we nearly had this entire facet of the planet flattened. So, what makes you so sure they weren't here to destroy?" Rose asked.

"Because we're still here." Flint replied. "We're Pink's left and right hands when it comes to taking territory, I thought maybe that they came here to take us both out, to destroy the rebellion's fighting capability."

"But then they left." Rose said, following Flint's logic. She looked over the devastation again, this time with an objective eye rather than a sentimental one. The damage was widespread to be sure, but also random. If they had wanted to destroy the gem themselves, they could have focused on the unshielded parts of the facet, but they focused on the shield first. So, they must have been going for the military infrastructure, right? But, as soon as the shields went down they had shifted their focus to the entire area. "I see what you mean, now."

"But why use such overwhelming force and then leave before the job's done? Because…" Flint started.

"…it was a diversion." Rose said confirming the theory. "But a diversion for what?"

"Commander Rose! Commander Flint!" A gem shouted as she ran out to them. "We have a priority one message from Commander Peridot!"

"What is it?" Flint asked as she stopped in front of them.

"It just says 'Come to these coordinates, right now.'" The gem replied, handing them a datapad.

Flint and Rose looked to each other and nodded, knowing their next destination.

* * *

…

…

…Where… was she…?

…what… had happened?

…She couldn't remember…

…

…no.

Wait.

She did remember.

There was a light… an explosion… deafening sound and then…

…oh

Was she… dead…?

Is this what death felt like…? Just a bunch of… nothingness? Darkness?

If so, death was pretty boring…

…

…no, she wasn't dead. Not yet.

She could feel herself being pulled back into light, into consciousness, piece by piece, bit by bit.

…ah, now she remembered. This was what it felt like before she formed her physical form for the first time.

No. It was different from that time.

Back then, it had come naturally, and quick, like it was something she was always meant to do. This time it was like something from the outside was pulling her into being, willing her to form.

So, form she did.

Pink's eyes fluttered for a moment as she suddenly found herself with a physical form once more.

But before she could even orient herself to her surroundings, a beam of light shot out and pushed her back against the wall, quickly followed up by four more lights as her hands and feet were pinned to the wall. She then felt something fasten and clamp down on her limbs, preventing her movement.

Finally, her vision started to come into focus and she was face to face, with none other than her eldest sister, who reached out with her hand to grasp Pink's jaw, locking their gazes to one another.

"Hello Pink. Surprised to see me?"

"White?!" She tried to move her limbs, but they would not budge.

"Don't bother Pink. You won't be able to break those. I had those commissioned specifically to contain you." White informed.

Pink would have turned to look at the restraints but White had a firm grasp on her chin, forcing her to look directly at White. Still, Pink could make out some things. For one, they were outside in space somewhere. Behind White she could make out stars and below her sister's feet she could see the rocky ground of an asteroid.

"What happened?" She asked.

"That station of yours was destroyed."

"What happened to-"

"Destroyed, every one of them, except for you." White said answering the question preemptively.

"But Yellow was with me… what-" Pink began.

"She's gone Pink." White said evenly and without emotion. "When the station perished, so did she." She paused gazing down at Pink's naval momentarily. "Well, mostly anyways."

"'Mostly'?" Pink repeated.

White let go of her jaw. "Why don't you see for yourself?" She pulled out a small device and placed it on the ground. It sprang to life and floated before flattening out into rectangle shape. One side of the shape began to shine brighter and brighter until a mirrored surface was created. The newly-made mirror floated towards Pink's abdomen then oriented itself so Pink could look down at it clearly, and what she saw made her gasp in shock.

Her gem, once cracked apart and with a large chunk missing from its center, now had that section filled, but with a yellow diamond, looking cared to exactly fit the mold. The pink and yellow parts each felt like they were vying for dominance as they pulsed with power. The black liquid sealed the gaps between them, spidering all across the gem in intricate design.

It looked like a corrupted gem.

"Perhaps you would like to see the rest?" White suggested and the mirror in response quickly expanded to Pink's full size. The young gem watched her own disbelieving face scan her body. For one, she was now as tall as Yellow had once been. For another, her once fully Pink jumpsuit had been blotched in places with large splashes of yellow, seemingly at random. Her hair now pointed directly at an angle like Yellow's once was and was highlighted with her golden hair color. But what caught Pink immediately was her eyes. Once they had been a solid pink, now only her right did while her left was the golden-yellow of her older sister's eye.

Pink looked away from the mirror and looked to White with a look of true horror. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!"

White, calm as ever, responded. "I saved you, of course." She pointed to the gem again. "That black liquid, it's the same kind that that rogue gem had once used on me to try and seal me away with, isn't it? Except it's been modified to act only as a super-strong adhesive. That saved your gem from being blasted apart into pieces, amazing really." She shook her head. "But I'm digressing. When your gem was found, impossibly intact, it was deemed that you might never form again. So, I simply used what was on hand to heal you."

"HEAL ME?!" Pink screamed. "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE! I'M A HIDEOUS FREAK!"

White gave a small shrug. "Perhaps. But what's done is done." She put a hand to her chin in thought. "To be honest, there was a good chance it would be not yours, but Yellow's personality that emerged… Well, regardless, this fits into my plans for you far better."

Pink stopped screaming. "Plans!?"

"Well, I suppose it was my plan for all three of you, but…" White trailed off.

"'Three of us'?" Pink said, still confused as ever.

"You, Yellow and Blue, obviously." White stated. "You see when I finally reformed and looked upon what you three have been doing with our empire in my absence, it only confirmed something that I should have done long ago." She looked Pink dead in the eye. "Get rid of all of you."

Pink was taken aback and White continued. "You see, it was Yellow's ambition that lead to her planning colony worlds on organic planets. It was Blue's need to be superior to our subordinates that caused enough dissension for ideas of independence from us to seep into gems minds. But then it was you, Pink, that brought it all to a head and boil over."

"You destroyed Yellow and Blue, because you think they're the cause of the empire's failure?" Pink asked.

"They were only symptoms of the empire's failings." White corrected. "The empire's cause of failure, lies with me, and me alone."

Pink blinked once. That had not been what she had expected to hear.

She watched as White's good eye, once completely calm, seemed to cloud over with emotion as she went on. "When Yellow first came along, she had some aspirations, such ambition. I wanted her to wait, to be calm and take things slow. To teach her how to be a proper ruler who could understand those beneath her, but Yellow didn't want to hear of it. Soon, her ambition bore fruit and she propelled us forward into the stars." She chuckled but it was entirely without mirth. "I had thought myself a fool then., restraining such a tactically brilliant mind, and I let her be, confident that she'd find her way. Then Blue came along, and much like Yellow before her she shook the foundations of our society but more directly than Yellow, creating ridged hierarchies and rules. I had thought these superfluous at best, but in actuality it made us more efficient than ever."

She sighed.

"And then came you, Pink. A Diamond who actually cared for those beneath her, something I had not seen since my own earliest days. I had hoped that you could show Yellow and Blue the value of the lesser gems in a way that I never could. But they didn't listen to you, and you didn't listen to them which culminated in this rebellion which is ripping our Empire to nothing." Her eyes lost their cloudiness, becoming sharp and rigid once more. "But in the end, the one who is to blame is me, for not curbing the ambition of Yellow and teaching her and Blue about the value of the lesser gems." Her gaze tightened. "But you, Pink? You understand even less than them, not wanting to be above them, but of them. You were practically rejecting your duties as a leader, being too blinded by sentimentality and refusing to see the bigger picture." She shook her head in disappointment. "So yes, it's my failure because I wasn't the guiding hand you all needed when you needed it."

"So, what now?" Pink asked. "Did you save me just to give that speech to someone?"

"Now I'm going to leave Pink, and return to known space." White said before reaching into her person and producing a Blue and Yellow shard. "I'll have these…" she reached down and grabbed a piece of Pink's gem that was outcropping itself form the rest and pulled until it snapped off, causing Pink to gasp with pain. "…and this, to always remind myself of the price of my failings."

White backed off a bit and raised a hand into the air. Her scepter appeared and it began to glow, a jet of light streaming off it and hitting the wall Pink was chained to. Except now that Pink could move her head she saw it was not a wall at all, rather it was another asteroid, just big enough for Pink to be chained to.

The space rock began to lift off the ground and Pink called out. "What are you doing?!"

"Your punishment." White replied as she continued to rise. "I had considered destroying you outright, but that would be too easy Pink. You knowingly and openly questioned the authority of the Diamonds. You've sent ripples and waves throughout the galaxy that will be felt for millennia to come. And that can't be abided nor let off so easy. So, I'm sending you out beyond the galaxy. You will have no way of returning and will likely be lost forever in the void between galaxies."

Pink gave a worried look before it turned into one of outrage. "I'll find my way back White!" She called. "I'll be back, somehow, someway, I _will_ return! And when I do, I will destroy you for what you've done!"

White paused. "That reminds me I almost forgot." She said snapping her fingers. The device came to life again and this time became a monitor, flying up to Pink's face. Pink looked at it, seeing a planet covered in ash and fire.

"What is this?!" she called out.

"It's Earth." White informed. "When I went to take care of Blue Diamond, I decided to end that miserable speck to send a message to the rest of the rebellion. Goodbye forever Pink, maybe in time new Diamonds will emerge and I will do better with them then I could with you." With that she thrust her scepter forward and the asteroid was sent flying off into the space.

"WHITE DIAMOND!" Pink screamed as she hurled away beyond the galaxy.

* * *

Flint and Rose exited hyperspace at the coordinates given. There had been something familiar about them but neither could place it. They were greeted with the sight of a planet, but not one either had ever seen before. The planet, for one, had a large molten mass, taking up a good portion of the planet on one side, lighting it up like a giant yellow-red eye. The rest of its surface was covered with dust and debris, obscuring the rest of the planet's surface form view.

Rose looked to Flint. "Have you ever been here before?" she asked.

Flint shook her head. "No, I thought maybe you had."

Rose looked back to the surface from the viewport. "Well, whatever the reason Peridot's signal is coming from down there, let's go take a shuttle down.

The two traced Peridot's signal to a single outcropping among the lava flow happening around them. She had her back turned, looking out over it. Even as they approached and landed, the green gem didn't so much as turn around.

The two quartzes departed their craft. Rose called out. "Peridot! What are you doing here?"

"Yeah, what's the idea brining us to this place?!" Flint called out as well.

Peridot remained motionless and the quartzes exchanged glances before the walked up to her. "Peridot?" Rose said, now considerably softer.

Flint stepped forward putting a hand on Peridot's shoulder. "Peridot, listen Heidapa just got attacked and-"

"I know." Peridot said finally, her voice quiet and hoarse. "So did we, at the Station."

"The Station?" Rose repeated. "What happened? Is everyone okay?"

The little green gem shook her head sadly. "No, it's gone now."

Flint gritted her teeth with anger while Rose stifled a gasp. "What happened?"

"Yellow Diamond… she came out of nowhere, a sneak attack." Peridot said, her tone barely above a whisper as she began recounting the incident. "We barely had time to react before our communications when completely down. Then… White Diamond came."

The two quartzes both jolted at that. "White… Diamond…?" Flint repeated not believing what she had just heard. "Are you sure?!"

"There's no doubt." Peridot said as her head slowly nodded. "But then, she was gone as soon as she came, blasting off towards Earth…"

"Earth?" Rose asked. "To rescue Blue Diamond?"

"We had thought ourselves lucky that White hadn't decided to join the assault." Peridot continued on, ignoring Rose's question. "But it would have made little difference. We were outnumbered and outgunned. Soon they boarded the station and then Pink decided she'd face Yellow alone."

"Why?" Flint asked.

"She knew there was no hope of winning the battle, so she decided to hold them off while the pearls and I made our escape, to fight another day…" Peridot explained, her back still to them and looking sorrowfully down into the lava.

"Where are-?" Rose began only to be interrupted as Peridot held two gems in her hand, unmistakably those of the pearls.

"Neither one wanted to leave. But we were stuck fighting a battle we couldn't win. All the same they wanted to fight. So, I destroyed their physical forms and took them with me." Peridot went on, as a fresh tear rolled down her face.

Rose looked hurt by the news but Flint only nodded grimly. "You did what you had to do Peridot, they'll understand when they reform."

"We managed to get away, and I decided to flee towards Earth, hoping that if I couldn't stop White Diamond from freeing Blue Diamond, I could at least get Onyx out of harm's way..." Peridot said, as another tear rolled. "But by the time I had gotten there, White Diamond had already came and went… and there was nothing left to save…"

Rose gasped. "Onyx is…?"

Peridot gave a single nod. "There's no doubt in my mind."

Flint felt herself well up, but held it back with a deep breath, wiping her eyes. "So then, why did you come here, to this planet?"

Peridot finally looked to each of them, her eyes dark and listless. "Have you not realized it yet?" she asked.

The two looked to one another neither one understanding what she was getting at and turned back to her. "Realized what?"

Peridot held out a datapad to Rose who took it with some apprehension and her face was overcome with shock. Flint quickly ran forward as she saw the reaction and looked as well, her eyes also going wide with a look of devastation.

"This _is_ Earth." Peridot finished quietly.

A long silence overcame the three.

Rose fell to her knees. "No… no… that… no…" she muttered to herself.

Flint looked out across the fields of magma. "How did this happen?" she asked.

"The Earth's moon was sent crashing into this planet." Peridot explained. "Its impact devastated it and caused all this." She said motioning to everything around them.

"So, what happens now?" Flint asked.

Rose finally stopped muttering. grabbing her arms. "Now? Nothing happens now. The rebellion is over."

Peridot said nothing but Flint spoke up. "Over?! What do you mean over?! We still have sips! We still have gems!"

Rose stood up, not raising her voice in the slightest, but tears streaming freely off her face. "Look around you Flint. This planet, is dead and everything on it is gone. Onyx is gone. Pink is gone." She turned to her, Rose's face lined with tears. "What is there left to fight for?"

Flint shook her head violently. "No… No! It can't end this way! It… it…" she fell to her knees as well. "It can't…"

Peridot gave a small sigh. "No, she's right. There's nothing left here. This planet is dead. Pink Diamond is gone. The rebellion… is over…"

* * *

" _ **Who are we, the Pink Diamond asked,**_

 _ **that they must bow so low?**_

 _ **Only a gem of a different size,**_

 _ **that's all the truth I know.**_

 _ **A peridot or an amethyst,**_

 _ **their gem stone still it glows,**_

 _ **And theirs are fine and shine, sisters,**_

 _ **with shine as fine as yours.**_

 _ **And so she spoke, and so she spoke,**_

 _ **that Diamond of pink hue,**_

 _ **But now the rains weep o'er her throne,**_

 _ **with no one there to hear.**_

 _ **Yes, now the rains weep o'er her throne,**_

 _ **and not a soul to hear…**_

 **Onyx – You're Alive (Heavy Anarchy)**

 **Flint – Pistol and Cutlass (Wontolla)**

 **Whelp, looks like it's a good thing Pink didn't openly rebel, huh?**


	10. Ch 10: The Return

**Chapter 10. I was mulling this over a bit, whether or not I should continue this, but the truth is I never intended to leave it as is, I bamboozled you all!**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 10: The Return

 _One week after Earth's destruction…_

* * *

Amethyst walked quietly behind the agate as she led her towards the center of the tower. The young gem saw the main platform and her mind wandered again. Why had White Diamond summoned her?

She looked to the agate who was leading her through the spire, but the grey-white gem paid her little heed as she kept her eyes focused forward.

They began to rise but when Amethyst expected the platform to stop at the entrance to the throne room, it didn't. Instead, it continued to rise until the lift had gone as far as it could, the very top of the tower. The doors before amethyst seemed ornately decorated with swirling lines and strange shapes, whomever had made it was to be commended for their talent, the art seeming almost alive on the door.

The agate turned to her, gazing downwards and gave a small shove. Enough to force Amethyst off the platform, but not enough to indicate any malice behind the action. The purple gem turned to the grey-white one and spoke. "Do I-?"

"Knock on the door. Announce yourself. She awaits you." The agate cut off, robotically before she began to descend out of sight.

The young gem turned back to the door, it being massive compared to her and gave a polite knock.

 _ **Knock knock…**_

There was silence and after a few seconds she wondered if she should knock harder to be heard. But just as she reached to try again, the doors slowly opened inward and Amethyst beheld a massive room, White Diamond personal chambers she realized. She took a few tentative steps in and looked around. Everything was neat, clean, sterile, and pure. Not a single thing out of place. She could not see White Diamond, and was about to call out when she heard from a distance away.

"Come in." The smooth wizened voice of the first gem she'd even seen called out.

Amethyst took a few more steps. Still feeling unsure of herself, but allowed herself to relax with each footfall. She didn't want to seem overly nervous after all, it might send a bad impression.

"I'm over here." The voice called out.

The young gems followed it to its source, crossing the room to its farthest side and finding an opening balcony. Standing on its edge and leaning against the railing was White Diamond. Amethyst stopped at the doorway and simply watched White Diamond who was facing away from her and looking upon the planet-scape below. The night had fallen and the city below glowed softly, creating a picturesque landscape.

"Amethyst Cut 8XM, reporting my Diamond. It is an honor to be in your glorious presence." She said, practicing the rehearsed compliments.

White Diamond did not turn to meet her gaze, still staring out. "Is it now?" she asked. The quartz briefly wondered if she was asking her or simply voiced her thoughts for a brief moment. The answer was clear though as White Diamond spoke again. "Forgive me, if I seem distracted. I've just been… dwelling… on things."

The quartz approached, coming closer to the railing which was over four times her height, the gaps between the bars holding up the railing nearly twice her width. "No, please, if anyone should be saying sorry it's me."

White Diamond broke her gaze from the city-scape and looked down on her. "Oh? Have you done something wrong?"

"Not… that I know of?" The quartz replied like a question.

White gave a little smile. "Well then. Let's hope there aren't any you don't know of, eh?" She gave a lighthearted chuckle.

Amethyst gave a smile, allowing herself to relax a bit when White Diamond lowered her hand to her level. She motioned with a single finger for her to move forward onto the hand and Amethyst did so, stepping onto her palm. "My Diamond, I must ask, why was I summoned here?"

White Diamond looked down to her, considering her question, then returned her gaze outwards. "Let me ask you, Amethyst 8XM, what do you see?" She asked, motioning to the metropolis below.

The quartz thought this was some sort of test, that White Diamond was passing judgement on her that would depend entirely on her answer. So, Amethyst paused for a few minutes, attempting to come up with the most eloquent way to put things. "The architecture is… very good… and the… uh… aesthetics are very… pleasing…?"

White Diamond returned her gaze to Amethyst and eyed her for a good long time. "You know, it will be easier to just say exactly what you mean instead of trying to impress me."

A blush spread across the quartzes face and White Diamond chuckled once more. "Go on. Tell me what you really think."

"It's beautiful, my Diamond. And so breathtakingly big, and complex it makes me feel…" She paused then shook her head. "I don't even know what."

The Diamond's small smile grew a little more. "I see. It's fascinating to hear that."

"It… is?"

White nodded. "Of course." She then set Amethyst down on the railing, and allowed herself to lean against it. "You see Amethyst 8XM, I'm old, very old. I can still remember when this planet was all _any_ gem had ever known. When the cities weren't built and the ground could still be seen." She shifted her posture, becoming a little more informal. "You see, I've been looking for something recently."

"What is it you're looking for, my Diamond?" she asked, unsure about the sudden subject change.

"Perspective."

Amethyst gave a confused look and White continued. "I'm looking for perspective, a new one, someone who can help me see things with fresh eyes."

"And how can I help with that?" The quartz asked.

"You just did." White replied. "I see things as they were, more than as they are. But you? You're still fresh from the ground. You don't have any background or bias to distract you from what you're seeing. And I need that."

The confusion on Amethyst's face grew. "What… exactly are you saying, my Diamond?"

"I want you by my side, and see things for me with that fresh perspective of yours." White said.

Amethyst was practically stunned into silence. "I don't know what to say… you want me by your side?"

"Yes, you will be my… oh, let's say 'bodyguard' to keep things nice and official. So, what do you say? Are those agreeable terms to you?" she asked.

"I would be honored!" Amethyst practically shouted. "…my Diamond." She added quickly.

"Oh, my dear, drop the formalities. We won't have any need of them between us." White said with a genuine smile.

Amethyst returned it with a grin as wide as her face.

* * *

 _Quite some time later…_

* * *

How long had it been…?

She had no way of telling, nothing to use, to measure, the passage of time. Had it been weeks? Years? Decades? She did not know.

All she did know was that it had felt like _eons_.

Eons drifting, well hurtling really, far away from the galaxy into the great vast void that existed between galaxies. An endless expanse of blackness lain before her, her only light coming from the galaxy she was steadily getting farther away from.

Speaking of time, Pink Diamond really had no way of passing it either. She'd managed to free herself from total bondage of the asteroid White Diamond had chained her to, but not from the shackles themselves. When she'd finally tugged her limbs free one at a time from their places deep inside the space rock, she'd nearly ripped it in half trying to break free. Now she simply sat on the asteroid, hands and feet still encased within the bracelets her eldest sister had so kindly bestowed upon her before her banishment from the galaxy itself.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. There was one way Pink had found to occupy her time.

Thinking.

And my oh my, did she have time to simply think about things,

She often thought of the rebellion, of her friends. How they likely thought her shattered and gone forever, and rightfully s, all things considered. They had no way of knowing that Pink had survived the Station's attack, only to be sentenced to this sojourn through dark space. Moreover, she had no way to contact them to tell them what had happened or where she was now. It was likely she'd never see them again, a thought that saddened her greatly.

Sometimes her mind would drift to Blue and Yellow Diamond, going through scenarios in her head where she could have handled things better. How she could have worked harder to show them a better way or to at least understand where Pink was coming from. But, she knew the truth in her heart, she _had_ tried her best, she had given her sisters every reason to try and spare the Earth. The simple fact was that they didn't care.

She had been closest to Blue Diamond; someone she thought for sure would be on her side, or at the very least not try and fight against her. But when push came to shove, they had clashed and Pink had struck her down. She still remembered Blue's last words to her. So full of rage and betrayal. Now she was gone for good, and Pink would never have the chance to… to…

To what…? She wondered to herself. Forgive her? Apologize to her? Pink didn't really know, she only wished things could go back to how they used to be. The two of them smiling together again, enjoying each other's company. But those days were long gone, and they were never coming back.

When it came to Yellow on the other hand, she and Pink had never been terribly close. Nevertheless, something about Yellow Diamond had always made Pink respect her deeply. Even when Pink Diamond disagreed with her, Yellow's decisions and actions always had a sort of logic to them that Pink could admire. She didn't do things out of spite or sentimentality; she did them because they were the best thing, in her eyes if no one else's, to do, not just for herself, but the empire at large. It was only when someone went against her logic that Yellow began to act more… erratically. Now she too was gone. Pink's gaze momentarily went to her own gem in her stomach. Except, in a way she wasn't, no thanks to White Diamond.

 _White Diamond…_

Pink's eyes narrowed and her jaw grew tight as she gritted her teeth. Her eldest sister, one who'd Pink had always looked up to, idolized even on some level, the one other Diamond she though would understand why Pink had done what she did. The same gem who had destroyed her sisters and cast Pink off into the great empty nothingness between galaxies.

The same sister who had destroyed the very foundation of the rebellion by taking out the Earth and Pink herself.

The rebellion must have been in complete disarray if not entirely wiped out by now. Pink supposed either Rose or Flint had taken over in her absence. Or perhaps Onyx…? No wait, Onyx had been stationed on Earth and if Earth was gone…

Pink shut her eyes tightly in despair and buried her head in her arms, fresh tears and not the first one since her banishment, began to flow. She could do nothing now, not even end her own sorrowful existence. But just as quickly as tears of sorrow had begun to fall so too did tears of frustration and rage. She had never known hatred for any being, but she was sure that must have been what she felt for her eldest sister now. _Hate_. Burning within Pink like a newly born star. She seethed with all her being on that floating space rock, wishing nothing more than to see White Diamond destroyed, her shards scattered to the galactic winds...

No… not destroyed… she wanted her to _suffer_. She wanted White Diamond in pain, in _agony._

But the truth was, Pink was powerless, helpless to do anything anymore. There were even times she thought she was going crazy. In that last few… let's just call them days, Pink had heard something, but it was like a whisper coming across a great distance, she could only make out that it was there, rather than anything near coherency like a message.

Speaking of which…

Pink Diamond heard it again, though even in the total silence of space, it was still a task to even be sure she was hearing something. Then, in less than a second…

It got loud.

"…IIIINNNKK!" The voice sounded, causing Pink to snap out of her depressed trance and suddenly jump back. Given the relatively small amount of space upon which Pink had to stand, if it could be called that, considering the shackles encasing her feet, she nearly fell off the asteroid. Instead she just fell backwards and tumbled a bit before coming to a stop on her back.

Pink quickly sat up, shaking her head. What… was that? It had come in gone in a blink of an eye but… it was like a flash of lightning.

The young Diamond tried to move, scooting around on her butt as she navigated the floating space rock. After momentary investigation, she was sure she was alone, but then what had been that...?

"PINK!" The voice called out. Pink saw another flash, but it lasted for a moment longer this time before disappearing, allowing for a better look. The flash had a distinct form, tall and yellow, wearing a jacket with pointed shoulders over a body suit.

There was no question on who the figure was.

"…Yellow…?" Pink said, barely above a whisper. She hadn't spoken aloud in quite a while, the sound of her own voice almost alien to her, coming out dry and hoarse. She looked around again, trying to catch a glimpse of her ghostly sister.

"Yellow! Yellow! Is that you?!" Pink called out. She waited listening, waiting… and then…

"Pink!" The young Diamond turned her head around seeing her sister, Yellow Diamond, before her. But the form before her was strange indeed. She was outlined in a yellow aura, appearing see-through at the center of her torso and limbs. The aura was brightest at her head and slowly faded away as it made her way down her body, her boots nearly invisible to the eye. Her eyes were hollow except for her pupils, shining brightly like twin orbs of fire within her head, giving her gaze an unnatural ethereal edge.

"Yellow…" Pink said again, not really believing her own eyes. "Is… is it really you…?"

Yellow raised one of her arms up and gazed at it, turning it around again and again, thoroughly inspecting it. "Yes… and no." She put her arm down and clasped her hands behind her back in a formal way.

"What… are you?" Pink asked still reeling from the shock.

"I don't know. I still exist thanks to you, but only just." Yellow said motioning to Pink's gem, causing Pink to glance down at it before returning her gaze to her sister. "I have no physical form, but… I am here."

"No physical…? But you're standing right here." Pink said, coming to terms with the situation around her.

The wraith before her raised a brow. "Am I?" She knelt down and reached towards the ground, her hand disappearing in the rock. She stood back up, straight and turned her gaze back to her sister. "I can't touch anything beyond standing here before you."

Pink's worried look never left her face. "Why are you here?"

Yellow narrowed her eyes. "Because there is a gem out there who betrayed me-us, Pink. A Diamond who destroyed me and Blue and doomed you to an eternity in oblivion."

Pink's gaze became hard as she though again on the focus of her anger. "White Diamond…" she fumed.

Yellow nodded. "Precisely. She has wronged the both of us, and she must pay." She walked closer, touching Pink on her shoulder. The two looked eyes. "I feel it Pink, the anger you have towards her. The rage. I know because I feel it too." She began to walk away, pacing around the asteroid's surface. "She destroyed me, tossed me aside like I was nothing." The glow around Yellow seemed to intensify and Pink could feel her anger too. "I will pay her back for what she's done." The anger dissipated and she turned back to Pink. "But for that, I'll need you."

"You fought against me! You tried to destroy me!" Pink shouted her voice twisting in rage.

Yellow remained calm. "I did." She said simply. "And White tried to destroy the both of us. And with me, she succeeded." She gave a sort of quizzical look to Pink. "I want revenge Pink, but I have no means to do it, not without you. If you don't trust me, fine. But at least trust in that."

Pink considered it for a moment. Yellow was smart, logical, and right now that only person Pink had talked to in however long she'd been out here, if she wasn't some sort of hallucination. If there was one thing Pink _could_ count on it was Yellow's temper which was now focused squarely on White Diamond. She could use that, and she might as well, considering it was trust Yellow for now, or continue to float off into the abyss.

Pink sighed. "I guess I don't really have a choice."

Yellow smiled coyly. "Don't sound so disappointed Pink. Your fate and mine are entwined now."

"So, how do you propose we get out of this?" Pink asked gesturing to their surroundings.

Yellow walked back over and crouched down looking at the shackles. "We'll need to do away with these first." She then stood back to her full height. "You'll need to use my power to break them."

"Your power? But how?" Pink asked looking down at her hands.

"Our gems have become one Pink, your power and mine are one and the same now. You need to call upon it and free yourself." Yellow gestured towards her center. "Draw up the power from within, and let it burst forth."

Pink tried to do as she was told. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

Nothing.

She opened her eyes and looked to Yellow for guidance. "Don't give up. You need to keep trying. After all its not like we're going anywhere until you do."

"You can't give more constructive advice than that?" Pink asked.

Yellow simply gave her disapproving frown Pink had come to know. She sighed and tried again. At first she felt nothing, but then she heard a small spark of electrical discharge and then another and another. She could feel it rising within her as the air around her grew electrically charged. Pink opened her eyes to see sparks flying from herself, she looked to Yellow who stood nearby, a satisfied look upon her face.

"Good!" Yellow said, looking more and more excited at the growing possibilities before her. "Now, you need to concentrate it in your palms, let it build up, and then release."

Pink did as she was instructed, she closed her eyes again and imagined the energy gathering within her palms. She soon felt the electricity building up there, more and more was building up. She could feel the power swell, and then.

 _ **BOO-GERT**_

The muffled sound echoed within the shackles and their grip greatly loosened. They easily slipped from Pink's writs and fell to the ground. Pink rubbed them for good measure and looked over to Yellow who was looking positively ecstatic. "Well done." Yellow said with a small clap.

Pink actually felt herself smile, it had been so long that the gesture felt both familiar and strange. She then looked down to her feet still encased.

Yellow was practically reading her thoughts. "Now, summon my sword!" she said. Then you can easily dispatch of these restraints."

Pink did as she was told. Listening as Yellow advised her from the side on how to bring it forth. "Concentrate! Imagine the electricity you create _is_ the blade!"

The air around Pink's open palm crackled as she felt the power gather. Soon arcs of energy were flying this way and that. But then began to draw closer together and the burst became less erratic until Pink at last found herself holding her elder sister's sword. "Good! Well done! Now shatter the shackles!" Yellow commanded. Pink did just that, her full freedom acquired at last as the last of her captive limbs gained their independence.

Pink finally for the first time in ages, stood up on her own feet. She stretched and jumped on one foot to another, then jogged in place before turning to look at Yellow. "Thank you." She said.

Yellow shook her head. "Don't thank me yet, we're still stuck here… but not for long." She then pointed to the far side of the asteroid. "Go stand over there." She said.

"I assume you have a plan?" asked Pink.

"Don't I always?' Yellow replied as she walked side by side with her sister, the two of them now at perfect eye level with one another. Yellow then pointed to the sky. "Now aim a blast up high, and fire it?" Pink gave a quizzical look and Yellow sighed. "The propulsion of the blast should cause us to start going back the other way."

Pink nodded and held her two hands up. Her palms glowed and suddenly a stream burst forth, its sudden force causing Pink to take an involuntary step back. She saw the yellow energy shoot off into space before disappearing into nothingness.

"You need to give it more!" Yellow said over the blast that Pink was trying to maintain.

Pink did as she was told and poured even more into it, the stream becoming a raging torrent of electricity. Suddenly Pink stopped, dropping to her knees in exhaustion. Yellow walked over to her. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Pink was a little bit surprised at Yellow's concern. "I'm… I'm fine. It's just that was draining is all."

Yellow gave a hmm and walked off to look over the asteroid's edge. "Well, that seems to have at least been enough to change direction, but we're moving slower than we were before." She turned to look at Pink. "I need you to do it again.

"Pink looked at her with an incredulous look. " _Again_? Are you kidding?"

Yellow crossed her arms. "I am not. If you want to get back to the galaxy, we're going to need a lot more force than that." She shifted her weight onto one foot and put a hand to her chin. "Besides, you're still new to my power, you need to grow accustomed to using it until it's like second nature to you. Unless you're planning on facing our sister in battle without it." Pink said nothing and Yellow nodded once. "That's what I thought."

* * *

 _Some more time later…_

* * *

Yep no doubt about it, this had to be the worst job in the Empire.

Well okay maybe not the _worst_ but the most boring at least.

I mean I've been out here for stars knows how long, and for what? Talking about Morganite behind her back? Hardly seems fair.

These thoughts and others ran through the quartz gem know as Citrine as she was busy scanning asteroids in the farthest reaches of the galaxy. She'd made one simple comment about command and then _bam_ rock survey duty. And she knew it was personal to, because while they were supposed to be on random rotations to keep things fair, somehow she'd gotten stuck out here for the past _five_ rotations in a row, in other words ever since she'd made the comment. She wondered who sold her out, probably that Amethyst that was walking around. The little slag was always poking her nose where it shouldn't belong. It could be worse she supposed, but not by much.

There, she'd finally finished scanning this one. Just a few more and she'd be done for the day, she thought. Citrine walked back to board her craft for the next rock.

She'd just hopped in and started the ship up when an alert came from the craft. She quickly accessed it and saw a massive energy spike, heading her way. "What in the cosmos…?" she wondered aloud. It looked to be about seventy clicks and closing fast. And it was coming… She paused at that reading. It was coming from _outside_ the galaxy.

She departed from her raft, a pair of macrobinoculars in her hand. She looked off and saw it. A large asteroid… that was shooting lightning out of its back…

…what?

Citrine took the macrobinoculars and knocked them against her hand for a second. There was no way that was true. She put them back to her eyes and looked out and… yep that was definitely a giant space rock propelling itself with lightning.

Wait…

She adjusted the zoom and got a better look on its surface. There was a figure there, standing. She couldn't make out details but, there was definitely someone _riding_ a lightning-shooting asteroid coming right this way.

So much for boring…

* * *

 **Fun times, I'm back, see ya later…**


	11. Ch 11: New Power

**Chapter 11. Boy it feels good to write again.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 11: New Power

The ride up the elevator was uneventful, but that was hardly surprising.

Amethyst had gotten used to the sight of watching the lights that lined the walls of the increasingly narrow passageway up roll on by. She was off to her first duty of the day, greeting White Diamond.

Though to be honest, "duty" was probably giving it too much credit. Mostly she would just listen patiently and carefully as White Diamond talked about this or that and then ask her what she thought. Amethyst would offer up an opinion or two and White Diamond would nod, and if there was nothing else, dismiss her to do… really whatever she wanted until White called upon her again.

" _Like now for instance_." She thought to herself as the elevator stopped and she stepped off, making her way to the familiar ornately decorated ivory doors.

Amethyst knocked and the doors swung open by themselves. She walked in and saw White Diamond there, sitting by her lonesome in a throne, unsurprisingly, deep in thought.

White was faced towards the left from the entrance, a place Amethyst had found her many times before. The Diamond turned her head ever so slightly, her masks' eye gazing at her. Amethyst gave a little bow as the doors behind her closed and walked forward. "Good morning, White."

Stars, what an absolute scandal to be so informal to a _Diamond._

"Amethyst, I hope you are well." She said before turning back to look at the wall.

The young quartz walked over and joined White by her side, looking the wall too. But the wall, wasn't a wall anymore, rather it had at White Diamond's request, been turned into a mural. A depiction of her sisters, the Diamond, Blue, Yellow and Pink from left to right. "You'll have to forgive me, Amethyst. I was just thinking about them again."

Amethyst gave a sort or reassuring pat on White's leg. "You can't keep doing this to yourself White."

White sighed, her back arching as she rested her arms on her knees in a defeated gesture, looking downtrodden to the ground. "But I must, Amethyst." She then looked from one part of the mural to another. "They were my sisters, my _younger_ sisters. I should have been there to guide them and teach them right from wrong. Instead I let them do as they pleased and now…" She put a single hand to her face, covering it. "Now… they're gone. The blame lies with me and there's nothing that will ever change that."

Amethyst jumped up, landing on one of White's legs. "How many times have I found you like this? Blaming yourself and regretting the past like this?"

White looked to her but said nothing.

"You always say you want my opinion. Well, I'm going to give it right now, whether you like it or not!" The young quartz declared dramatically.

White gave a slightly surprised look to the little gem, something that may as well have been full blown shock to anyone else.

"You are _not_ to blame." Amethyst said with finality. "Whatever the other Diamonds did, they did it because they made their own choices, and what happened to them happened because of their own actions not yours."

White was silent, considering Amethyst's words. She then chuckled lightly, giving a weak smile. "Coming from you, someone I trust to tell me the truth, it means very much to hear you say that." She said.

"It's what I'm here for." Amethyst said with a small grin.

White shook her head. "I just can't help it, my dear. I feel so much responsibility, I could have done so much more…" She shook her head. "But you're right. Blaming myself over and over helps nothing and no one. I can only try and do better in the future." White Diamond then looked back to the murals. "But it's hard not to, when you feel so…"

"Alone?" Amethyst offered.

White gave a small nod.

Amethyst looked up at the murals. "Believe me, White. I _do_ know how you feel."

The Diamond raised a brow at that. "Oh?" she said.

Amethyst shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean when I became your 'bodyguard' gems really started treating me different." She lifted her hand up and began to list things on her fingers. "None of the other quartzes even look me in the eye anymore. They're all afraid that I have some sort of power over them, that I could have them shattered whenever I wanted or something."

"Hardly surprising though, isn't it?" White asked. "You're with me nearly all the time, always by my side which means that you have accepted all that comes with that privilege."

"So, I can't make friends with my sisters, or with _any_ gem because I'm with you?" Amethyst asked.

"No, not necessarily." White replied thoughtfully. "If there was a gem out there who knew you well enough to know that'd they'd never come to harm by the tiniest slight against you, _they_ could possibly be a companion of yours."

"Well yeah, but what are the odds of that?" Amethyst asked.

"Slim." White said honestly. "I still remember back when there were only a handful of gems, no one treated me differently than anyone else and I had so many different friends." She said in a wistful tone Amethyst had long since grown accustomed to. "But when my… power… started to manifest itself, when I was able to do things far beyond the abilities of any other gem, they treated me much differently. They listened to what I said and did what I told them to do, _whatever_ I told them to do."

Amethyst gave a quizzical look, thinking on White's words. "That sort of power… it sounds kind of scary."

White frowned, getting a distant look in her eye. "Yes, I suppose I must have been frightening to some. Anyone who even thought about saying anything other than a hardy agreement thought they'd be shattered on the spot, which made it difficult for me to get a true and honest outside opinion."

Amethyst shook he head. "No. I mean… it must have been a scary power to have."

White broke from her trance and gazed back at the little gem in her lap. "Scary for me?" She asked.

Amethyst just shrugged. "I dunno, I mean… If _I_ had all that power, if I could do all you could, I'd be afraid of abusing it or accidently hurting someone with it or something…" she trailed off.

White gave a sort of grunt, but not quite, the way it sounded made it sound too… eloquent… to be called "grunt". It was more like a high-pitched 'humpf'. She then gave an appreciative smile. "Yes, I suppose I was too, back then. It took me many years to be able to so precisely control my power as I do. Before that there were… incidents. But I learned how to control it, and when that happened I became endowed with power of another kind. Authority. A power which had been even more important for me to learn how to use properly than, well, my actual physical power." She then gave a small grimace. "And one I fear I still have yet to master fully."

White shook her head, clearing out the thoughts and held out her palm for Amethyst. "Well, that's enough dwelling for now. Come, it's time to look towards the future."

* * *

 _Meanwhile on the edge of known space…_

* * *

"Pink…" Yellow started warningly. "You need to slow it down _now_." Yellow advised.

"I've been floating on a space rock for stars knows how long, and I am getting off!" Pink declared, as she continued to hurl out of control on her asteroid, the only propulsion coming from the lightning she was currently streaming out of her palms.

"We are heading into an asteroid field, if you're not careful we're going to plow right into one." Yellow advised.

Pink considered this for a moment, then stopped. She ran to another side of the asteroid and fired, but instead of stopping the asteroid started spinning. "Oh, now we're going ludicrously fast and we can't _see_ either. Wonderful." Yellow said dryly.

"Now helping!" Pink snapped back, desperately trying to maintain her footing as the momentum shifted.

"We've got no choice now." Yellow said. "You're going to have to jump."

Pink gave one of her famous "are-you-kidding-me" looks. Followed by the line of the same name. "Are you _kidding_ me?!"

Yellow just gave a shrug. "Or continue to do nothing and _hope_ we don't smash into something that will turns us into find powered dust. Your choice."

Pink looked from her sister, calm as ever, though she supposed that was for good reason. "Ah, slag it!" she said as she jumped.

Citrine watched as the asteroid that was shooting lightning now spiraled out of control. It's occupant that she'd seen was… wait… no that couldn't be right, she couldn't be… She adjusted her macrobinoculars.

Oh yeah she was.

Citrine rushed back to her ship as the asteroid came hurling by the one she was currently standing on. The figure had jumped off right as she passed, the rock she'd been using to propel herself off hurled past and hit one of other many asteroids, ricocheting off it and taking a chunk of itself and its target as they collided.

The figure tumbled and rolled before coming to a stop on her face, right in front of Citirine. The quartz looked to this... gem? She'd never seen one like this though. No solid colors, a sickening mixture of yellow and pink and brownish-grey… no wait, that was dirt.

Pink began to stir and began to pick herself up, sitting up on her knees. She opened her eyes to see the shocked look of a citrine before her. Well, a quartz of some kind at least, her head throbbed which wasn't really helping as she heard Yellow's voice ringing in her ears again.

"Pink! Get up!" Yellow barked.

"Ugh… just give me a second…" Pink said trying to wave her off.

Citrine stared, gawked really at what was happening before her. She knew who this was, at least she thought she did. "Are you… are you Pink Diamond?" Citrine asked.

Pink looked from Yellow's disproving gaze down to Citrine. "Where… am I?"

"This is an asteroid belt near-" Citrine shook her head. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. I asked a question first." Citrine gave the large gem a once-over as Pink continued to orient herself.

Yellow turned to look at Citrine. "Don't you talk to us like that you little-"

"Yellow enough!" Pink shouted before turning her attention.

Citrine shook her head. "No, I'm not yellow. I'm more like a golden-amber color and my name is Citrine."

Yellow looked past the gem before them and saw her ship. "Look! She has a ship, we should take it."

"Sure Yellow, just say that right in front of her." Pink said as she rolled her eyes at her older sister.

Citrine gave a confused look then looked around. No one was there but them. "Um, who-?"

"Yes, I am Pink Diamond." She paused as Citrine blanched and Pink nodded. "Yes. _That_ Pink Diamond."

"As if there were any others…" Yellow said under her breath.

Pink turned to look at her "Quiet you."

"I didn't say anything." Citrine said her confusion growing.

"What is the state of the rebellion?" Pink asked. "Is it still going on?"

"No? I mean not really." Citrine said, trying not to anger the seemingly deranged gem in front of her. "You still here reports and rumors about attacks with small groups, but nothing since Pink… since you were destroyed fifteen hundred years ago."

Now it was Pink who lost the color in her face. "F-fifteen hundred years…?"

"Pink! Focus!" Yellow advised. "She has the only way off this rock! We need her ship!"

"Right, so will you help us?" Pink asked.

"'Us'? And help you with what?" Citrine asked.

"Oh for… don't tell me…" Yellow walked up and started to wave her hand in front of Citrine's face. "She can't see or hear me, wonderful."

Pink quickly adjusted herself after hearing that bit of news. "Um… _I_ need your ship so that I can get off this rock. I've been away from quite a long time and want to return to the rest of the galaxy."

Citrine, to her credit, managed to summon enough courage to put on a small show of force as she tried her best to stand tall to a gem quadruple her size. "I… can't do that."

Pink bend down on one knee. "You really don't want to try and fight me, Citrine, was it?" She advised. "Just take me to your station and I'm sure we can get everything sorted out."

"No! I won't do it." Citrine replied.

Pink sighed. "Look it's not like-"

 _ **WHAM**_

Pink felt a hard strike under her chin that knocked her back and sent her tumbling. Pink sat up just in time to see Citrine running for her ship and Yellow giving an unamused expression. "Well, it looks like you've certainly convinced her."

Citrine quickly opened up the door to her ship and jumped inside. She began to start up the ship when she heard a "thunk" on the side of the ship. She turned to see Pink holding it down just outside of the window. Unfortunately for Citrine, this was a survey ship, no weapons. The quartz tried to blast the engines and for a moment the ship began to escape Pink's clutches. But suddenly the power began to drain immensely, the lights went out and the engines died. She heard the door being forced open from the side and turned to look. "Oh no."

Pink reached within and grabbed the squirming little gem. "Okay, so, let's try this again." She felt a power swell within her as she spoke her net words. " **You** _ **will**_ **take me to your station.** "

The Citrine was about to object again but this time something very strange happened. Citrine's body began to glow as yellow lines began to shoot out from Pink's hand. The citrine writher in pain for a moment before her head slumped over and she was silent. Citrine slowly raised her head, her eyes glowing a solid yellow. "Yes, I will."

Pink dropped her, partially due to her sudden and surprising consent and partially out of shock. The citrine landed on her feet, looked up, unblinkingly and then walked towards the ship to attempt to start it up once more.

Pink looked down at her hand. "What… was that?" she said slowly.

Yellow looked at her and a wide grin spread across her face. "Something marvelous." She then turned her attention to the ship. "She's not going to be able to start that with power."

"Ah right." Pink said as she walked over.

* * *

Pink sat in the cargo hold of the ship, Yellow walking in contemplative circles around the both of them. "It's so fascinating to think about, isn't it?"

"I… possessed her?" Pink wonder aloud.

"Currently possessing her, you mean." Yellow reminded.

"But how?" Pink wondered.

"Your empathic power, perhaps it was altered when you and I became one?" Yellow suggested. "At any rate this is something we should star testing immediately."

"You want me to do this again?" Pink asked incredulously. "I didn't even want to do it to her the first time! Forcing gems to do things against their will flies in the face of _everything_ my rebellion was about."

"You shouldn't spurn a gift like this so easily." Yellow argued. "This could be a way to make the rebellion a hundred-fold its previous strength, a thousand-fold!" Her face turned to one of rage. "That may be the only way to fight White's armies."

Pink stood up and walked over to Yellow. "No! This isn't what I want!"

Yellow crossed her arms. "And where would we be now if things had gone the way _you_ want?" Yellow asked. "On a floating rock trying to find our way back to Homeworld with no direction? And even if we happened to be going the right way, how long would it have taken us to get there?"

Pink pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, we're going to get to this station and steal a ship with warp capability and then we're going to gather the _real_ rebellion and restart it and we're going to win _that_ way."

Yellow gave her famous disapproving gaze. "Do you realize how long that will take?"

"It can take as long as it needs to! This is the way we're doing it!" Pink barked back.

"And what are you going to do when White catches wind of all this, hmm?" Yellow asked. "Do you really think you'll be able to get enough support the old fashioned way before she comes back to finish us off?"

Pink was about to answer when the intercom came on, it's tone flat and monotonous. "We're here."

* * *

Morganite sighed, slumped in her commander's chair. Why was a gem of her caliber station way out here on the fringes? She'd been told that gems of their stations number needed a gem of her rank or higher, but that was a load of dirt if she'd ever heard it. A quartz could handle this job for quasar's sake, why did she need to bother with it?

"Citrine's back from her survey." A peridot informed.

"Great…" Morganite said mustering up all the care she could, which meant almost none. "So what's she got?"

"Scans from several dozen asteroids and… cargo." The peridot finished.

Morganite raised a brow and sat up. "Sorry I must have misheard that. You didn't just say cargo, did you?"

"I did." Peridot replied.

Morganite frowned. "Is she trying to _stay_ on my bad side? She knows she's only supposed to be out there for scans, why'd she bring back something?"

"I don't know. I could submit an inque-"

"Forget it!" Morganite said as she stood up. "I'll see to this myself."

* * *

Morganite approached Citrine's ship with two amethysts by her side. She saw Citrine but her back was to her. "Citrine! What in space did you bring back here?"

Citrine said nothing, her back remained to her. Morganite got mad and snorted like a bull about to charge. "Hey! Did you hear me? Answer!"

Citrine did nothing, just stood stock still.

Morganite stomped over and grabbed her by the shoulder. "Hey! Don't play dumb! I know you can-" Morganite stopped dead as she turned the gem around. Citrine's face was covered with strange yellow lines and her eyes glowed with the same color as the lines.

Morganite was taken back and took a cautious step back. "What in the cosmos-?"

The hatch in the back of ship opened, seemingly by itself and that drew the attention of all gems present. They all stared in disbelieving silence as a giant gem with mixed colors emerged.

Pink held up her hands and slowly stepped forward. "Okay, easy, I know what you're thinking and-"

"Attack!" Morganite ordered before retreating out of the docking bay.

Two turrets from the ceiling came down and began shooting as the two amethysts charged Pink.

Morganite, once on the other side of the docking bay door, locked it down. She quickly ran back to her command center, running in and taking her seat. The other gems stared at her, looks of surprise and confusion written upon their faces. "Get me a vid screen of the docking bay now!" she barked.

A screen popped into existence in front of her chair, but al that was shown was static. "What is this?"

"The cameras in the docking bay have been destroyed!" One of the peridot informed.

"Is the lockdown still in effect?" she asked.

"Yes." The peridot's face then dropped as she read the new data coming in. "Wait… no, the inner door has been breached.

"Send all remaining troops to converge on that thing trying to get in! I want it taken out _now_!" Morganite ordered.

* * *

Pink ducked down as now shots of plasm were coming through the air, early hitting her. Yellow just stood in the open, blasts going straight through her. "Oh yes Pink, this is a wonderful plan you've come up with. Far be it from me to ever question your judgement."

"Really?" Pink asked. "You've going to do this right now?!" she asked over the blasterfire.

Yellow jut crossed her arms. "Fine. But we _are_ going to talk more about overall strategy once we get through this."

Pink shot out lighting from her palm, taking out the guards who were firing upon her and stepped out from behind her cover. Just as she was walking down the next hallway, a laser wall lit up from her front and her back, trapping her in a box.

"Look like they have us surrounded. "Yellow noted. "But not trapped."

Pink nodded in understanding and touched one of the walls.

* * *

Morganite watched the vid of the hallway. "We got her trapped now." Suddenly the camera cut out again and the commanding gem glared menacingly to the peridot again. "What now? Another destroyed?"

"No, not destroyed. "It's been powered off. In fact we're losing power across-" She tried to finish until the lights began to flicker for a moment before powering off completely. "the entire station." She finished in the dark.

The emergency power switched on, leaving the station in a hue of red. "How did this happen?"

Before Peridot could answer the doors began to creek open as two hands forced them open form the other side. Pink stepped into the room and was met with blaster cocking at her form every direction. "Fire!" Moganite shouted.

Pink created a wall of electricity with her hand, absorbing the energy. She then focused with a single pointer finger and systematically eliminated all but Morganite herself.

Morganite shrunk in her chair as Pink approached. "As I was saying… I know what you're thinking but I don't want you to worry. I'm not here to hurt you. All I need are your star maps."

"What are you?" Morganite whispered.

"Pink Diamond, back from beyond the veil of dark space." She explained briefly. "Now do as I say and get me those maps.

Morganite nodded and accessed a console from her own commander's chair. After a few commands the console was dismissed.

Pink looked at her expectantly. "Well?"

A loudspeaker sounded around the station and alarms started to blare. "Self-destruction commencing. T-minus 2 minutes."

Pink looked to her a mix of anger and surprise. "What are you doing?!"

Morganite just sneered. "I don't know if you are who you say you are, but it doesn't matter. You're too dangerous to be left intact. This station is going to blow, with you inside."

"Taking me out with you?" Pink asked.

Morganite gave a salute. "For the glory of White Diamond."

Pink summoned her sword and pointed it right at her. "Turn it off, _now_."

Morganite shook her head and Yellow stepped into view. "Pink! You know what you need to do."

Pink was about to argue back when she heard the loud-speaker again t-minus 30 seconds. She looked to Morganite to her sister and back again.

She had no choice.

She picked u Morganite in her hand and felt that same swelling feeling from before rise up. " **You** _ **will**_ **deactivate the self-destruct** _ **now**_ **.** "

Morganite was overcome with the same lines as citrine. "I… I won't. I… I…" she slumped forward and Pink knew what would come next. She placed Morganite in her chair and Morganite robotically did as she was told.

The alarms stopped and the loud speaker sounded a final time. "Self-destruct has been canceled."

Pink breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately hated herself for it. Yellow began to clap. "Well done, well done!"

"I said I wouldn't do it." Pink said more to herself than to Yellow. "But she made me… I-"

"Had no choice?" Yellow finished, almost mockingly. "That's what war is all about, Pink. Making choices that are hard and doing things we don't like."

"You don't need to tell me that." Pink said with gritted teeth. She then turned to Morganite who starred into space blankly. "Copy the star maps, wipe all records here including ship logs."

Pink turned to leave as Morganite began her task and Yellow stepped in front of her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"We're leaving." Pink stated flatly.

"Without her?" Yellow asked, pointing to the Morganite.

"Yes." Pink replied with finality.

"Is that wise?" Yellow asked. "She knows what's happened here, as soon as our hold breaks she's going to inform White Diamond on what happened here."

"So could any gem." Pink replied.

"She was the only one you identified yourself to." Yellow reminded. "On top of that, what if our influence over her doesn't fade and then White Diamond discovers her? We'd be exposed for sure, if not us as we are then at the very least a very serious threat."

"We attacked a station, Yellow. I'm sure they'd report that regardless." Pink shot back.

"But only one that knows of our secret power here." Yellow said.

Pink thought on this and then sighed, calling over to Morganite. "Hey! When you're done with that Follow me!"

Morganite dismissed the console and stood up, walking over. "It is done." She reported, handing over a datapad filled with star-map data.

"Splendid." Yellow said before turning to Pink. "So, where to now?"

Pink searched through the datapad until she found her destination.

"Earth."

* * *

 **Done. Sorry I was a bit late. Now *grabs readers' heads* Suffer me now! Command – You will review!**


	12. Ch 12: Peridot's Legacy

**Chapter 12. What, did no one play Shadow of War?**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 12: Peridot's Legacy

Pink ship left hyperspace, finally she saw it, Earth, or what was left of it.

Dark clouds permeated most of the surface, even the poles. What few spots between them she could see were only scorching reds or dark blacks.

"So, what are we doing here?" Yellow asked.

Pink ignored her and began to descend through the atmosphere. She didn't know what she expected to find, but, she wanted to be there anyways. She wanted to feel _anything_ at all from the Earth. She descended upon a plateau overlooking some of the lava flow and landed.

Walking out to step on the Earth, Pink felt hollow. She had expected to cry her eyes out for all the life so pointlessly lost here or to shout with rage at the skies, cursing her sister. But the truth was, if there had been any mourning to be done here, its time had long since passed. She supposed she _did_ feel a little sad, but it wasn't a great sorrow like a flood waiting to be unleased. Rather it was like a piece of her heart had been removed, all that remained was the feeling of its absence, an echo of what once was.

Yellow, surprisingly, had been respectfully quiet, allowing her sister to do whatever it was she needed to do here. Though when Pink fell to her knees in silence and stretched her arms forward, it _did_ pique her curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to reach out to Earth, to feel any sign of life here…" Pink said, sitting back up. "But I feel nothing here, not a single organic lifeform."

Yellow, once again surprising Pink, walked over and put a ghostly hand on her shoulder, in reassurance. "What happened here, to these gems and these… creatures, it's not your fault."

The younger Diamond turned her head away. "Don't pretend like you care…"

Yellow walked around until she was in front of Pink. "For this planet or its creatures? No. But I _do_ care about you. I can feel the sense of loss within you, and it pains me to see you like this."

Pink looked to her sister, her face halfway between severely depressed and surprised. She then gave a small smile. "Thank you, Yellow."

Yellow managed to return the smile and was about to say something else when she suddenly turned her head to the side. "Wait a minute. What's that?"

Pink stood up. "What's what?"

"That energy, the energy of a gem." Yellow clarified and then pointed off into the distance. "I can feel it , that way, _far_ that way."

Pink tried to feel what her sister felt, but… "I… I can't feel anything…" Pink confessed.

The elder gem looked back to her sister. "Really? It seems so obvious to me, like a distant light or-"

"Or a far off sound?" Pink asked to which Yellow nodded. "That was what it felt like to me too, before White banished me… us."

Yellow stepped closer to her sister, taking her ethereal hands in Pink's solid ones. She then leaned in close so that their heads were touching. "Just… _listen…_ "

Pink closed her eyes and after a few moments, she felt it too, the far off presence. She opened them again and the presence was gone. "It was like for a moment, we were truly one gem." Pink said.

"It seems when we were made into one gem, more changed then we realized. We must learn to make all our senses as one." Yellow advised. "But for now, let's go investigate, shall we?"

* * *

 _Meanwhile on Homeworld…_

* * *

Something was different, weather that meant good or bad different had yet to be seen. But on Homeworld? Different unusually meant bad, at least that's what Amethyst had grown to know over the years.

For instance, instead of heading to White's Diamond's personal room or the throne room, she was being escorted to the landing pads instead. Amethyst could see that the usual vacant lot was now filled with the large flagship of White Diamond herself.

Amethyst couldn't help but wonder what she was up to. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked.

The agate who was leading the escort looked back at her and for a brief moment the small quartz caught a glare of distain before a professional gaze wiped it clean. "My clarity, White Diamond has request our silence, she wished to break the news to you herself."

"Thanks." Amethyst said with a wave of her hand as they continued to march on.

The small party boarded the ship where the agate directed Amethyst to White Diamond's quarters aboard the craft. She knocked on the door and it opened.

White Diamond sat inside the room, monitors and consoles surrounding her throne. She looked past them to her guest and dismissed them immediately. "Amethyst, good to see you."

The little quartz sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, you too White." She stopped rubbing and crossed her arms. "So, what's happening?"

"Ah, yes! You don't know, that's right! I wanted to tell you myself!" She said excitedly. White summoned one of the displays again and it floated in front of her. She made it smaller, about big enough to be manageable for a normal gem and then with a flick of her wrist sent it towards Amethyst. The monitor stopped in front of her and she saw it for what it was, a map of their galaxy, specifically the territories that marked the empire.

Amethyst looked at it then to White. "I don't get it, why are you showing me this?"

White's grin faded into a line. "You really don't understand yet?" she snapped her fingers and the monitor was gone from Amethyst's hands, returned to her own hand. "It's our itinerary."

Amethyst just gave a curious look so White continued on. "Our talks together all these years Amethyst have been enlightening. So much so that I believe that it is time I took a step further."

"Meaning what?" The quartz asked.

"Meaning that there's an entire empire out there that I haven't seen in thousands of years, and its high time that I reacquaint myself with both it and the gems therein." White explained.

Amethyst cross the room, coming up to White's legs. "So, you and I are just going to leave homeworld for who knows how long and travel the stars?"

"Exactly. With my experience and your insight, I can be sure to do what's best for all gem-kind." She said as she picked Amethyst up. "Additionally, it'll boost morale for imperial gems to know that their leader still thinks enough of them to visit."

"What about all the stuff you do on Homeworld? The everyday activities of the empire at large?" The quartz asked.

"Don't think so little of me, Amethyst." White replied dryly. "I've had all that data forwarded to this ship, I'll be able to rule from here as well as I ever could from my throne."

Amethyst finally asked the real question on her mind. "This has something to do with the other Diamonds, doesn't it?"

White formed a little frown, then sighed. "Yes. It is." She summoned a monitor and gave a few commands, another window popped up and both turned their heads to look. The map was strikingly similar to the one Amethyst had just seen, in fact it looked almost _exactly_ like the first one, only a few more colonies seemed to be missing from this one, and a few others seemed to have been added. "Long ago, when I was… indisposed, Pink Diamond decided to tour our _entire_ empire."

"And we're taking the same course?" Amethyst asked.

"For the most part, there have been a few changes." White replied.

"But why?'

"Because I believe that Pink gained some clarity, visiting the colony worlds." White said, dismissing the map. "I want to experience that for myself."

"You want to understand why she rebelled." Amethyst realized. "Or at the very least, be as sure as you can on why you _think_ she rebelled."

White nodded. "One day, Amethyst, new Diamonds will arise. Whether that will be in thousands of years or a few days, I must make sure to understand my sisters who came before, so that I will understand those that come after."

The little quartz wasn't sure what to think about that. On one hand, this felt like just another excuse to dwell on the past, on the other though, this might actually be a chance to work through those problems. If White was finally able to get the closure she needed, maybe she could finally, after all these years, be able to put it behind herself for good and focus on the future.

Amethyst finally shrugged. "Well alright. If you think this is what you need to do, then I'm behind you White."

White's kind smile returned. "Good, because we have quite the journey ahead of us."

* * *

As they approached the direction in which they had sensed the presence, Pink was finally able to feel it without the need to concentrate. Though she couldn't be sure whether or not that was because they were getting closer, or the presence was somehow getting stronger.

Pink saw out the front window what looked to be a spire, reminiscent of the ones she'd seen on Homeworld. But this one was different, it looked like it had severely deteriorated over the years since its construction, it also appeared as an ashen grey-black, a dark spire from the Earth among a pool of lava, blasted dirt, and thundering skies.

As it happened, there was a another dirt-island to land the ship on so she did so. Departing once again, Pink ordered her two "companions" to stay aboard the ship while she investigated.

The two Diamonds looked at the spire before them. "Well now, who built this on this desolate world?" she wondered aloud.

Pink looked it over. "Only one gem I know who comes to mind. This is Peridot's work."

Yellow gave a skeptical look. "One gem built this? Hardly seems possible." She paused, squinting her eyes as she looked closer. "Wait, is this tower made out of… loose parts and junk?"

Pink also looked closer, sure enough her elder sister was right. The spire was made out of repurposed metals that were for starships, among others that she couldn't quite identify. The black color that they'd been noticing had not been from the metal itself, rather the ash from the old lava flow had covered the metal in several coats of black and grey. "Well, she always was a resourceful little thing. I wonder how long it took her to make this."

"A question we can ask her ourselves." Yellow replied. "The presence is coming from below and it's probably hers."

Pink nodded and then walked forward towards the spire. She touched it with one hand and… nothing. No panels appeared, no doors opened. The entrance to the spire seemed non-existent.

"How do we get in?' pink wondered aloud.

"This complex must be running on power of some kind, see if you can't manipulate it into bringing power to the door." Yellow suggested.

Pink took the advice, and placed her hand to the structure, feeling for its electrical impulses. To her wonder though, she felt almost nothing. Whatever facets of energy were still being used were all being directed far below. "Looks like I'll need to supply the power myself." She sent her charge into the structure and felt it dissipate into the structure, then after a few seconds, what appeared to be the way inside revealed itself as two of the welded piece of metal that had previously made up the spire's wall pulled apart and a walkway inside extended itself outside.

Pink stepped inside and what she saw was worse than she anticipated it being, far worse. The metal within was cold and dark, the lights meant to illuminate the hallway were flickering weakly. Meanwhile the floor and walls had massive amounts of dust, which blew away as the sudden rush of air sent it into the atmosphere outside.

The young Diamond ran a finger along the wall, inspecting it to see the line she'd made and the dust now coating her finger. "What happened to this place?"

"Seems no ones been through here in a very long time." Yellow observed. She then looked down, as if seeing right through the floor itself. "And yet that presence remains… how odd."

Pink touched the walls again and sent another impulse of energy through it. The lights above them glowed brighter, illuminating their way towards an elevator. Pink reached forward to touch the panel when Yellow stepped into view. "Do you really think it safe to travel in an elevator with this… facility… in the state it's in?" she asked.

"We need to get down there." Pink reminded her.

"You'd be better off jumping down the shaft than riding in that death-trap." Yellow said.

Pink thought on this, then turned back to the elevators and summoned her sword. She jammed them in-between the doors and forced them open, another blast of air and dust greeting her. She stared down into the darkness, but saw nothing but, well, darkness. She dismissed her sword and brought one hand over the pit, summoning only a little bit of energy. The shaft began to glow softly with yellow light and far, far below she could see the top of a make-shift elevator.

"Well, here goes…" Pink said before jumping and catching the wire suspending the elevator. Luckily for her, the shaft was _just_ big enough that she could comfortably make her way through it, but only just. The elevator shaft was long, but there were no additional floors, only where the elevator was. She carefully lowered herself down to it and once she did she summoned her sword and carved a hole in its top.

Once within the elevator, something she could barely fit inside of, Pink pried open its doors and well and just as before she felt the stagnated air and dust hit her face. She walked into the new darkened hallway, lighting the way with a small ball of electricity that now floated above her head like a firefly.

"This place looks abandoned." Yellow said, looking around. "This peridot of yours, why would she allow her facility to fall apart like this?"

"I don't know." Pink replied. "The peridot I know would have never let something like this happen." At the end of the hallway, a large sealed door blocked their path. "But I have a feeling we'll know soon enough."

"Pink, the presence…" Yellow started.

"Yeah, it's right behind here." Pink said before reaching out and banging on the door. "Hey! HEY! Anyone in there?!"

Silence.

"I wouldn't e surprised if there wasn't even enough power to unseal this door." Yellow mused.

The younger Diamond laid her hand against the sealed door and began to send power through it. They heard the whirling of gears and the moving of mechanisms within the door. Finally with a hiss it relented, opening up and revealing a laboratory.

The room had a large console on the far side, it's monitor dark and dusty. On her left side was a table where chemicals and substances seemed to have all dried out and blown away. On the right side however was something far more interesting. It appeared to be a large round metal door, Pink laid her hand against it and sent energy through. Unlike before though, the door refused to so much as budge. When she removed her hand though, some of the dust was wiped away and it revealed a word.

" **-LIPSE"**

Pink wiped away more of the dust and saw the whole phrase on the door, written in bright red. " **PROJECT: ECLIPSE** "

"'Project: Eclipse'?" Pink said in wonder. "What could it be?"

Yellow looked form the door to the console. "I'll bet that information terminal will have more answers."

The young Diamond walked over and wiped away some of the dust before attempting to access the console. Once again she used her own supply of energy to power the station and the monitor and console blinked to life.

Letters began to appear on screen as the console booted up. " **WARNING: SEVERE INTERNAL DAMAGE DETECTED – FILES HEAVILY CORRUPTED**.

Yellow gave a sort of dismissive grunt. "Hardly surprising, considering the state of everything else here."

Pink had to agree. "Yes, still, there must be something here we can salvage so that we can piece together what happened."

Once they had reached the main screen there were really only two options, one read : **JOURNAL ENTRIES** , the other read: **UNSEAL PROJECT DOOR**. Pink attempted the latter first, but as soon as she did, a password prompt appeared. "Cleaver as always Peridot." Pink said to herself.

"It'll probably be best not to try and attempt it blindly." Yellow advised. "Try the entries, perhaps a clue lies within them."

Pink dismissed the prompt and instead access the entries. A list compiled itself before her, over thirteen thousand entries. "Oh Peridot you meticulous gem you." Pink said wistfully.

Another prompt. " **WARNING: SEVERE INTERNAL DAMAGE DETECTED – FILES HEAVILY CORRUPTED**. **ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE FILES.**

The screen blinked and just like that, nearly all the entries were gone. Only a handful remained and they seemed to be entirely random.

She accessed her first entry which had somehow made it through.

 **ENTRY 1: ACCESSING**

Peridot's face flicked onto the screen and Pink was for a moment overcome with joy at seeing one of her friends, even in this lesser form. But she allowed the moment to pass as the video played.

"This is Peridot, entry one, day one. It's been a few months since the destruction of the Earth. Nothing feels right anymore, Pink is gone and the rest of my friends have been arguing over what should be done next, I fear the worst." She motioned around her to a laboratory far cleaner than the one they currently resided in. "Luckily they managed to stop bickering long enough to help me build this place. It's pretty small, but I think I might be able to do some good for this planet yet. Peridot out."

The entry ended and Pink accessed the next one.

 **ENTRY 66: ACCESSING**

Peridot came on screen, looking a bit depressed. "Entry sixty six, day two thousand nine. Everything I do is an uphill battle here. The world is as harsh as a new-born world could be. The plants I've attempted to synthesize have died out. The small organic, even the microbial creatures do not last very long no matter where they are placed. It doesn't look very good. *sigh* At times like these I really miss the others, but they've all gone to try and piece together the rebellion while I decided to stay here and piece together its founding world. Perhaps I can come up with a different synthesizing agent to better adapt to the planet. Peridot out."

And the next.

 **ENTRY 913: ACCESSING**

Peridot came on screen, looking a bit depressed. "Entry nine-thirteen, day two-seventy seven-eighty-eight. It's hopeless. Nothing I try has worked, the planet is just too tectonic now. It'll take millions, perhaps billions, of years for this planet to finally settle down enough for life to return, if it ever does. Pink, if you're out there somewhere listening, I'm sorry, I tried to recover anything, but organic life here is simply gone and there's nothing I can do. Peridot out."

The screen returned to the menus and Pink paused. "Oh Peridot…"

"'No hope' she says and yet there are still, or were thousands of more entries." Yellow noted. "She must have found some other way to occupy her time."

 **ENTRY 2000: ACCESSING**

Peridot looked a bit thoughtful before she spoke. "Entry two thousand, day six- o eight-seventy two. The search for my new specimens has been fruitless thus far. The geological map of this planet is now essentially useless so finding the original kindergarten lab has been a task, if it managed to survive at all. In the meantime, my solutions for the new gem catalyzing agent have been successful and I find myself filled with joy for the first time in a long time as my hypotheses come true. I imagine it will still be a long time before anything of true substance comes of it, all the same, I remain hopeful. Peridot out."

"'New gem catalyzing agent'?" Pink said aloud.

"It seems when organic life was impossible to grow here, your peridot turned to other forms of life." Yellow replied as Pink accessed the next one.

 **ENTRY 4445: ACCESSING**

Peridot looked ecstatic as she spoke. "Entry forty four-forty five, day thirteen-fifty two-ninety six. The materials have all been brought together and 'Project: Eclipse' is finally underway. Oh if Pink only knew she'd be so proud of what we've managed to do. I had to add another section onto the laboratory just to contain in while it gestates, but once its ready, the empire won't know what hit it. Peridot out."

"Seems she was creating a geo-weapon of some kind, like the gem mutants Blue made." Yellow observed.

Pink shook her head. "No, Peridot wouldn't do that. She said I'd be proud of her, she knew what I thought of those monstrosities."

"Seems she's been alone for a _long_ time Pink. Her mind may have… warped being here all by herself." Yellow suggested.

Pink didn't want to think too hard on that so she accessed the next entry.

 **ENTRY 11022: ACCESSING**

Peridot once again looked depressed but it was worse than before, she looked almost… sickly. "Entry one-ten-twenty two, day thirty three-fifty four-eighty two. My luck really couldn't get any worse, could it? The tectonic movement of the Earth has caused great damage to the spire's energy systems, most of which I was able to mitigate. Due to this the gestation period of Eclipse has come to a near standstill as the nutrient pumps I had placed were also damaged. To prevent it from becoming totally inert or trying to come out before its time, I was forced to make a rather… rash decision." She looked towards her gem. "I was forced to use parts of my own gem to make sure that eclipse wouldn't fail. I fear what may happen if such an action is needed again. Luckily, I still have the schematics from Pink's original wheel-throne, so I should be fine. I hope. Peridot out."

Pink looked horrified. "She used her own gem?"

"Seems she took after you more than you thought. Her resolve is impressive, for a peridot." Yellow added.

The last entry, Pink took a deep breath, this was the last entry that may have a clue about the current affairs, rather than the past ones of this place.

 **ENTRY 13013**

If Peridot had looked bad before, that was nothing compared to what Pink saw now. She looked about ready to keel over and shatter on the spot, she held her head in her hands and just barely managed to summon the strength to lift her head. "En… entry *cough, cough* entry one-thirty-thirteen, day... day… ah… what does it matter?" She shook her head dismissively before going on. "This is the end, for me. There's no doubt about it, I've done all I can… I… I can only hope it's enough." She turned to look at the sealed door to the project. "Eclipse will be preserved, for as long as she needs to be, I've seen to that. But for myself, there's nothing *cough* nothing I can do. The power here is failing rapidly and I've had to direct all energy towards Eclipse and nothing else." She paused. "I miss my friends… all of them. I wish any of them were here… right now." She shook her head. "But last I'd heard… they all fled to go colonize a planet in the outer regions beyond the empire's reach where they could be at peace. I have no way to contact them, and even if I did, I fear it would only put them… in danger." She looked to the screen sadly. "If any of you are somehow seeing this, I'm sorry, I did everything I could for all of you, for Onyx and Amethyst, and Pink Diamond. I'm going to seal myself within the room, the code to the door is the same as this entry." She paused before giving a small weary smile. "I thought… in the end… I'd be more afraid. I'll soon be gone and never come back. But the truth is after so long of being alone down here in the same room for centuries, I am glad to leave this place… at last." The video finished before cutting out.

Pink stepped back from the console and Yellow looked concernedly towards her younger sister. "Pink? Are you well?"

The hollow feeling came back and Pink felt something wet on her cheeks. She reached up and touched them, looking down to her fingers now mixed with dust and tears. "She… she was a better friend than I deserved."

Yellow put her ghostly hand on her shoulder. "Loyalty like that doesn't come from nowhere, Pink. She did this for you because you _were_ deserving of it."

Pink just gave a small nod and wiped her face with her arm before returning her attention to the console. She accessed the door's password again and entered the code.

A whirling sound like the one from the main door came form the side this time as multiple layers of doors moved themselves aside.

Pink stepped inside and found the room, unlike the rest of the facility, was rather clean and untouched, only two features within were of note. The first was the wheelchair of Peridot, flecks of green dust in its seat, sending a pang of sorrow through Pink once again until she turned to look at the room's only other feature. On the far side of the room, opposite the door was a large pod, almost the size of Pink herself. The pod's only feature was that in its center a large black diamond marked it.

"Is that-?" Yellow began to say before the pod hissed and began to open, revealing a large mound od hardened dirt and rock. At first, nothing else seemed to happen until an arm, black as night shot out and grabbed the edged of the pod, the second arm, this one more a dark grey, did the same with the other side of the pod and the with a final give the dirt and rock exploded outward, sending debris all over the room.

In the center of it all on her hands and knees before Pink. The gem was in a partial jumpsuit that was outfitted with dark grey and black streaks that were prominently more brighter towards the top of her body and dark towards her boots. Her hair was tied back in a silvery braided ponytail which went halfway down her back, two loose stands of hair managing to escape form the rest of her head and fell in front of her face.

The gem stood up and opened her eyes, sclera black as night and white-diamond shaped pupils staring directly at her.

* * *

 **Bet you didn't see that coming. Please, review.**


	13. Ch 13: Finding Friends

**Chapter 13, let's have some fun, shall we?**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 13: Finding Friends

Pink stared at the strange new sight before her. Before she could even get a word out she felt a hand on her throat and was being pushed back into the wall. She looked down to see a dark grey hand griping her and holding her in place. Pink looked farther down the arm and saw it had extended from this new gem's other arm, a billow of smoke stretching the distance.

Yellow stood off to the side, fascinated by what she was seeing but saying nothing.

"A gem," she said, her voice not particularly high, but having a distinct immaturity to it. "no," she corrected herself. "a Diamond, greatest of all gems." She stood to her full height and drew close. "Before I shatter you, I need a name."

Pink managed to push back the hand but felt it still pinning her in place. "My name is Pink Diamond."

The new gem shook her head. "No. Not your name, mine." She clarified. "I know things, I was made with purpose. But the pod, the peridot couldn't implement a connection, her words are hollow. She referred to me as 'Project: Eclipse' the blackness that will devour the light." She then looked away for a moment, thoughtfully. "Blackness… Black… a Diamond, greatest of all gems." She looked at Pink once more. "I am Black Diamond. If you are really a Diamond, prove it. Show me your power."

Pink looked at her questioningly. "You want to _fight_ me?"

"'Want'?" Black Diamond asked as if testing out the word. "I do what I am _meant_ to do. I was never asked what I wanted. I was made to fight, to conqueror and defeat my enemy." She shook her head again. "But I feel nothing for the 'rebellion' or the 'empire' no hatred or love." She gazed over at the wheelchair. "Those things that the peridot tried to instill in me, have failed. She has failed." She then looked back to Pink. "Without a reason, one fight is as good as any other. So, I might as well start with a challenge, like a Diamond."

"Peridot created you with a purpose, you said so yourself." Pink reminded from the wall. "Do you really feel no obligation to follow her wishes for you?"

"The peridot was only a voice in the pod, one calling out from the darkness as I formed." Black Diamond replied. "If what she said is true, then I am far more than she ever was, and she is not worthy of me. Neither her hatred of the empire nor the love for her rebellion compel me to feel for either. I feel nothing. I have no connections."

"Pink, this one respects power. Show her ours." Yellow said from the side.

Pink gave a small nod before she grabbed hold of the hand that had her pinned and ran electricity through it. Black Diamond let go, her arm returning to normal and was about to counter-attack when she felt a blade at her throat. In that split-second, Pink had crossed the room, summoned her blade and sliced it through the air to be at Black's throat before she could even regain her footing.

Black looked down at the blade then over to its wielder. "You hesitate?" she asked.

Pink's eyes narrowed. "Never." She held it a bit firmer to Black's neck, causing the latter to grunt. "But it would be such a shame to end your existence so early. I need strong allies, are you strong?"

Black gave a small smirk. "Yes. But I think you might be even stronger… I will fight for you."

Pink dismissed her blade in a flash and she offered her hand. Black simply ignored it and stood on her own. Pink gazed down at the Black's gem, nestled just above her chest, where Blue's once was. "'Black Diamond', huh?"

Black crossed her arms. "So, where to now, leader?"

"Time to leave." She said and the two began striding out of the room. Pink paused for a moment, looking to the chair, its green flakes just sitting there.

"Are you coming?" Black asked, before following her line of sight to the chair. "There's nothing left of her. She got what she wanted, I am here, let's go."

Pink looked a moment longer then turned and left, leaving the chair and pile in darkness as the door to the room shut behind them.

Pink looked to the console. "I need only a moment to recover what I can from-" she turned around and saw Black already making her way down the hallway to the elevator shaft. "-the console." She finished flatly.

"Well, she's certainly eager." Yellow observed with a small chuckle.

Pink shook her head and turned to the console. "Let's just hope she's worth all the trouble." Pink said tiredly.

* * *

Black quickly found her way up the shaft and out the entrance of the spire and for the first time, she was outside. There were images in her head, about what Earth used to look like, mountains and oceans and forests, but all the environment around her reminded her of was of volcanos and wastelands.

How nice she'd been grown around such beautiful scenery.

She heard footsteps behind her. "So, this is Earth huh? I like it." Black said without turning around.

Pink gave a dismissive snort. "Well, I suppose someone would."

"Done messing with your consoles?" Black asked.

"Yes." Pink replied.

"Good, then let's get off this rock. We have imperials to crush." Black said as she started walking towards the ship.

White appeared in front of Pink again, a grin on her face. "Oh, I _like_ her."

Pink just sighed before walking off after her new "sister'.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, on a colony not far from Homeworld…_

* * *

Amethyst did not like all these eyes on her. She could feel them scanning her analyzing her, judging her. They were certainly asking themselves. "Who was she to be chosen to be White Diamond's confidant?" Not that she'd really have a suitable answer for them if they ever asked, but she was sure they were asking themselves questions along those lines. She knew because the question crossed her own mind every day.

Currently she was one of the guests of honor at the party that was throne in honor of White's arrival to the planet.

Suffice to say, it was a large one.

White was busy talking to the head gem of the colony, a sapphire, and the last thing she'd heard before starting to walk away was how she'd "foreseen" White's arrival and did her absolute best to make sure everything was to her liking.

Amethyst was _sure_ it had nothing at all to do with the fact that they had called ahead.

She sighed, leaning against a wall on of the large open ball room where all the high-gems had been gathered to socialize with the empire's leader. She considered leaving, but she knew it would be rude and look bad on White, and she didn't want that. She supposed she might as well get comfortable and…

"Hello!" came a high pitched voice. Amethyst turned to look and saw a pearl heading towards her. A nice one too. What did she want?

"Uh… hey…" she said a little unsure what to say. "Nice... party we got, huh?"

The Pearl nodded. "Oh yes, it's quite nice. But, what are you doing here if I may ask?" Her tone changing as she asked the question to something Amethyst took for condescendence.

"I'm with-"

"No! Wait! I got it!" She said in what appeared to be mocking realization. "You must be a guard!" Her face turned to one of pity. "Oh, I _am_ sorry dear, but the guards were stationed _outside_ the gathering tonight."

Amethyst became flustered holding her hands up. "No, wait you got it wrong! I'm not-"

She was interrupted again as the pearl put a finger to her lips. "Shh! Don't worry dear, I won't tell anyone, but you'd best leave right now, go on! Shoo!" she said making a shooing motion towards the nearest exit.

Amethyst knocked her hand away. "Now wait a minute! I'm not… not…" she trailed off as the pearl's face ha begun to crack as she held back laughter, but she could do it no more and she laughed out loud.

Amethyst stomped her foot as she felt heat rise to her face. "Wha-Stop laughing!"

The pearl stood taller and wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, I'm sorry dear, but your _face_ … ooh, priceless." She stood a little straighter and gave a small bow. "Where did my manners go? I am the pearl to the lady of this colony, her clarity Sapphire."

Amethyst grave a sort of half-curtsy in return. "I-I am Amethyst, body guard of White Diamond."

Pearl nodded in acknowledgement. "Oh, yes. I know who you are. Why do you think I approached you just now and played out that little game?"

Amethyst gave a confused look. "You… know of me?"

"Know of you?" Pearl asked incredulously. "Are you joking? Who hasn't heard at least the rumor of the Pearlmethyst?"

The quartz's confusion grew. "Did you say 'Pearlmethyst'?"

The pearl's face became one of regret. "Wait, did you not… oh dear…"

"What have they been saying about me?" Amethyst asked, demanding answers.

The pearl merely shrugged. "I'm sorry… I thought you knew." She said nearly apologetically. Seeing Amethyst was expecting elaboration, pearl spoke. "You see, it was said that, according to the rumor, White Diamond, after her first pearl had been destroyed, desired to try and experiment with new, better kinds of pearl, more powerful more obedient, one for her exclusive use. The 'Pearlmethyst'."

Amethyst shook her head disbelievingly. "What? No! That's crazy! I'm just a normal Amethyst."

The pearl nodded. "Yes, I can see that." Though her voice betrayed some hint of disappointment. "Although that _does_ leave another question." She leaned in closer, saying in almost a whisper. "How'd you do it?'

"Do what?" Amethyst asked, anger beginning to mix in with the confusion now.

The pearl gave a little knowing grin, as if expecting Amethyst to know exactly what she was talking about. "C'mon, you know. How _did_ you end up as with White Diamond of all gems?"

The anger dissipated for a moment as she thought back on the memory. "I was popped on Earth, and she was on Earth right when I popped, we started talking and she just sorta, took a liking to me I guess?"

The pearl's eyes seemed a little envious now. "What? Just in the right place at the right time? You really are lucky. I mean to serve right under White Diamond herself… you're probably treated with more respect than agates or even sapphire like mine." She shook her own head in the same disbelievingly manner as Amethyst. "Lucky, lucky, lucky…"

The quartz rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Well, I mean it's not always-"

Pearl interrupted her as she brightened up. "Well, anyways. It was nice to talk to you Amethyst. However, my clarity is calling for me, I must go. I hope you serve White Diamond as well as I serve my clarity Sapphire." With that she walked off while Amethyst began processing what she'd just heard.

* * *

Black looked over at the two gems in the pilot seats. They had said nothing since she'd come on board, but that wasn't all. They hadn't turned to look at her, they hadn't spoken until Pink spoke to them first, they hadn't done so much as adjust themselves for comfort, and even to her it gave off an unsettling edge. "There's something off about those two."

Pink glanced over to Yellow. "Don't." Her elder sister said.

Pink thought about flat out denial, but Black seemed too smart for that. She tried a different route. "Oh, they've been like that since I've met them."

Yellow gave a nod of approval. But Black simply frowned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Really."

"Really." Pink confirmed."

Black called out. "Hey! You two. What are you names?"

They said nothing and Pink was about to say something but Yellow spoke first. " **Answer her.** "

"Morganite./Citrine." They answered simultaneously.

Black gave a look as if she was trying to put two and two together, but before she could Pink spoke. "You'll have to forgive them, they were always close, and a bit shy."

Black raised a brow at that. "A morganite and a citrine were close?"

Pink waved a hand. "Oh sure, they were the best of friends on their own colony before I picked them up."

Yellow's mouth formed a disapproving straight line. "Smooth."

"Anyways, I bet you know where the colony is, that the rebels were at." Pink said, trying to change the subject before Black could think about it too much.

Black's eyes wandered over to her. "I do. If I had managed to emerge on my own, the Peridot made sure I'd know where to go to meet with the rest of the rebellion."

Pink snapped her fingers and a datapad was handed to her from the cockpit. "Here," she said offering it out to her. "Mark the coordinates and we'll get there in no time."

Black took it, and typed in the appropriate symbols, handing it back to Pink. Pink in turn handed it to Morganite in the pilot's seat. "Here. Take us there." She commanded.

The Morganite took it without a word and began to type in the coordinates. Yellow walked over and watched her, her eyes widening as she realized where they were headed to. " **Stop.** " She ordered.

Pink looked to her sister with confusion. "Why did you stop?"

" **Give her the datapad.** " Yellow ordered. Morganite complied and gave it to Pink who took it.

Yellow crossed her arm, looking critically at Pink. "Do you really not recognize those coordinates Pink?"

Pink took the datapad back and really began to read the coordinates. Her face fell and she looked to Black whose expression was free of emotion, other than a little frustration. "You tried to take us to _Homeworld_?"

"Where better to start fighting the empire?" Black asked.

"We'd get ourselves shattered before we'd ever even set foot on the ground." Pink said, angrily. "You're lucky my pilot caught that before she actually jumped to those coordinates."

Black raised a brow. "Yes. But I noticed it got by you, the first time."

Pink threw the datapad at her this time. "Put in the real coordinates now." Black easily caught it but narrowed her eyes at Pink who did the same to her. " _Now._ " Pink ordered.

Black gazed a second longer at her then closed her eyes and sighed as she relented. "You're no fun." She said before inputting the correct coordinates and carelessly tossing it back in Pink's direction.

Pink caught it, without taking her eyes off of Black.

"You should watch her closely. " Yellow advised. "Who knows what she might try next."

* * *

The star system that Black's true coordinates had taken them too was fairly desolate. A single star, glowing a dull red had but a single planet with its single moon in it. The were far from the galactic core out here, it was a perfect place for the rebellion to hide. The moon curiously enough was the one with life on it, a lush jungle biome expanding the entire surface. As for the planet in question, it was a gas giant.

Pink and Black looked out a viewport. "Is this looking familiar to the memories Peridot gave you?" Pink asked.

"Yes." Came Black with a single-word reply.

"Pink, you can feel it, can't you?" Yellow asked.

Pink nodded. "There's something down there. Let's land and see if we can't find the rebellion."

The moon was indeed expansive, large and filled with dense jungle. So much so, that the ship couldn't fit through the canopy to land.

"What now?" Black asked.

If the ship can't land, we'll need to jump." Pink replied.

Black held her arm out. "Age before beauty."

Pink gave a mocking smirk. "Cute." She jumped and fell through the leaves.

Pink landed on her feet, taking a look around before she heard the leaves parting above her and saw Black land next to her on her own feet. "Nice of you to drop in." Pink said with a small smile.

Black deadpanned at her while Yellow covered her face with her hand. "Oh, Pink, you did _not_ just say that."

"Let's just get going." Black said in a huff and began to trek.

* * *

 _Hours later…_

* * *

Pink thought herself one who had patience and lots of it. How could she not, her only sight had been of rock or of space for a millennia and a half, and yet even now in less than a day, her reserves were already running low. "Do you really know where the rebellion is?"

"On this moon, somewhere." Black said from her position a little ways ahead of her.

"Pink…" Yellow said a warning tone in her voice.

"I know, Yellow." Pink said in a hushed tone. Normally Pink would have been able to just sense where the gems were and tried to figure her way from there, but when she had reached out with her senses to try and find them, she felt _everything_. The immense plant life here had made it impossible to distinguish the gem life signs from all the fauna. This hadn't been like on Earth where Black's single life sign had been like a beacon of light in total darkness, this was like looking for a shade of light in a sea of other shades of light. All she could really tell was that gem life _was_ here, somewhere.

But that hadn't been the only problem.

Pink could hear it in the distance, the creaking of wood and the sound of movement beneath them. The trees had been moving, altering themselves just enough to be relatively unnoticed but the effect was obvious, they were going in miles-long circles.

Pink could feel the frustration building in Black as well. She stopped and turned around to look at Pink. "This is pointless, we're getting nowhere."

Pink nodded, sitting down on a root. "I agree."

Black looked around, peering through the foliage. "So, what are we going to do? Ask for directions?"

The older Diamond gave a knowing smile. "Something like that, yes." She closed her eyes and reached out towards the tress and plants around her. Her brows furrowed, she didn't remember it being this hard to communicate with plants. And yet, as she reached out to them, she could feel them pulling back from her will, they almost seemed-

"Pink." Yellow called out, breaking her train of thought. "Quit being so gentle, take control, you know we can."

Pink ignored her elder sister and continued to concentrate. After a few minutes the trees relaxed and began to shift in view of Pink and Black, forming a path. Pink stood up and pointed. "It's this way." She said as she began to walk, Black following close behind.

"So, you control these organics?" Black asked.

Pink shook her head. "Control? No, I communicate with them, ask them for things and they oblige me."

"Which isn't to say we _couldn't_ simply impose our will on theirs." Yellow reminded from the side.

"Hmph, seems pretty useless for combat applications." Black said dismissively.

"Oh, you'd be surprised I think." Pink replied.

They continued to walk until the path led them to a large cave mouth. "They're underground." Pink informed.

Black gave a disapproving shake of her head. "They run and hide, some rebellion. I can't believe I was made for fighting for cowards like these."

Pink narrowed her eyes. "They are _not_ cowards. Trying to defeat an enemy that's much larger and stronger than you head-on is not bravery, it's idiocy."

"Funny. As I recall that's more or less how you orchestrated your campaign against the empire." Yellow noted.

Pink shot her sister a dirty look before continuing on. "It's why if we're going to take on the empire again, we'll have to be more strategic than ever. But before that, we still need to _find_ the rebellion."

They entered the cave and found it to be dark, but surprisingly dry. Pink looked down to the ground, it was smooth and worm-looking. "We're on the right path."

"Considering there is a path, yes, I'd say so." Black agreed. "This area has been worn smooth by gems passing through it, it must be one of the main entrances to their bases underground. Also…" she looked over to one of the rocks a few yards away. "we're being watched now."

"I know." Pink said. "They've been watching us since we entered this place, probably even before then. Just keep going, we're not trying to provoke a fight."

Black huffed. "Fine."

The two diamonds continued their descent into the planet. Now that Pink was farther away from the fauna above, she could more keenly sense the gems around her. They were always close but kept their distance as they watched the two stranger draw clear to their home. Pink could feel their anxiety, and it continued to build as they walked along. Finally Pink stopped and Black noticing this stopped with her. Pink pointed to one of the rocks about thirty yards away. "Hey! I know you're there! Come on out!"

The silence in the cave was overwhelming but soon, one by one a dozen or so gems began to emerge from behind rocks and from underwater pool within the cave, one even dropped down from the ceiling.

One of them spoke up, an Agate of some sort it was hard to tell in the dim light. "Who are you?" She asked. "What are you doing here?"

One of the other gems came up behind her asking something approximately to "Don't you know?"

The agate shooed the other gem from her ear and waited for a response form Pink. "I am Pink Diamond. I have come to return to the rebellion."

The gems around them murmured to each other and the agate spoke up. "Pink Diamond was shattered long ago."

The same gem who'd whispered earlier spoke up. "But look at her. Who else _could_ she be?"

The agate shushed the gem again. "It's not possible, Rainbow said so herself."

Pink gave a thoughtful expression as she heard the name. "Rainbow?" she said under her breath. She then spoke louder addressing the gems. "Please, we don't mean you any harm, far from it. We just want to help."

"We're doing fine here thanks." Agate responded. "If you really don't mean any harm, why don't you just go back the way you came and forget you were ever here?"

Black took a dangerous step forward. "Watch your mouth you little piece of slag. This is Pink Diamond who led the rebellion for _you_. You owe her your very existence." She then looked around. "Such as it is."

The agate seemed extremely agitated and the others didn't look much better. Pink put her hands up. "Okay, alright. Let's all just calm down here. Look, I'm sure you have a leader, perhaps we can talk with them and figure things out? Flint or Rose I'm sure would still be around, are they not."

The agate looked to the others, some nodded their consent while others shook their heads "no" in disapproval. Finally she relented and relaxed herself. "Fine. We'll take you to our leader. But I warn you, you'll find no rebellion here, and there are many of us here, so no funny business."

Pink nodded and she and Black were soon surrounded by the gems on all sides as they were led deeper into the caves. After some time of walking the cave led to a dead-end. Pink looked curiously to the agate who walked over to one of the walls and pressed down. A switch flipped and a seem appeared in the wall next to her which opened up into a long dark passage of rock.

The passage was wide enough for two or three of the normal sized gems to go in at the same time but Pink and Black were forced to walk single file. The end of the passage opened up into an enormous cavern. The section they were on now was the highest and outermost terrace that descended into the cave like a crater. Hundreds, maybe thousands of gems could be seen working or crafting things wile other simply walked and talked with one another, it looked as fully functioning a society as Pink had ever seen, even on colonies, even on Homeworld.

The agate turned to the other gems. "You guys head back out, you're still on watch duty. I can take it from here." She turned to the Diamonds. "This way."

The agate led them to one of the stairways and they began to descend further and further. Pink could feel the eyes being drawn to them more and more and could faintly hear their whisperings, though she was too far to make anything out clearly. She took a sideways glance at Black and saw her completely unfazed by the attention as she walked along.

Finally they reached the deepest part of the cavern, the innermost terrace. A building like a dome was its only feature. Agate and the Diamonds walked up to the entrance and she greeted the other guards standing there giving the Diamond a nervous once-over. "Wait here. I need to tell her you're coming."

Pink nodded and Black simply stayed silent. The agate left, leaving the Diamonds outside. After a few minutes she returned. "She's waiting for you."

"Thank you." Pink replied before stepping inside, closely followed by Black. The dome within was a pale with shades of Pink. In its center was a large statue of none other than Pink herself.

"Seems these gems idolize you." Black commented.

"As they should, she is a Diamond." Yellow followed up.

Pink ignored the both of them and saw another staircase on the far side. She and Black descended it and found themselves underneath the dome. In this room, glowing mushrooms and plants lined the walls and floor. Opposite of them in the room, a gem was knelt down seeming to tend to the glowing garden.

She had multi-colored blonde-pink voluminous hair with a lavender complexion. She wore a sleeveless, skin-tight pinkish-peach strapless leotard with violet high-leggings. She also wore a loose, sheer, translucent long-sleeved, bright and pastel blue blouse with thin lime-green outlines over her upper body. Her legs had long, magenta legwarmers that covered her feet.

"When Thunder Egg had told me who had come to visit. I was sure she must have been mistaken, but she's not is she?" The gem began as she stood up and turned around, looking at Pink with double-set pair of eyes, the top a lavender and the bottom a dull black.

Pink looked at her curiously. "Sorry, have we met?"

The gem gave a little half-smile. "No, not like this anyways. Which means I guess it's time for introductions." She gave a twirl that brought her closer and ended with a curtsy. "My name is Rainbow Quartz."

* * *

 **Done. Cool beans. Oh boy question time!**

 **Littlesnaketail – I know, my grammar sucks and it's probably super distracting for you guys. I'll try and work on it a little better. Though to be fair I have admitted on many an occasion on its suckiness.**

 **Monaxiron – Tell me, what exactly makes her different than literally** _ **any**_ **other OC that I've created thus far, besides her being a Diamond, that would make her a Mary-Sue? Cause if that's the only qualifier, it seems a weak argument.**

 **Busx – No, I wasn't. I came up with her all on my own, in my own head.**

 **P.S. – Do you guys not like the White-Amethyst parts? You don't seem to ever comment on them and I can cut them out if they're too boring.**


	14. Ch 14: Rainbow Quartz

**Chapter 14, I write about plot because the actual show refuses to!**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 14: Rainbow Quartz

Pink was unsure what to say to the softly smiling gem before her. "Rainbow Quartz?" She repeated.

The gem nodded. "Yes, you knew me better when I was two gems though." She pointed to her naval where a gemstone lie. "Rose." She then pointed to the other on her forehead. "And Pearl."

Pink felt an overwhelming sensation take her. She rushed forward and embraced Rainbow Quartz, though it was a bit difficult since she only came up to Pink's chest, necessitating the need for Pink to kneel down to embrace her friends. Pink held them for a good moment before letting go, tears streaming from her eyes. "I… I can't tell you how glad I am to see you."

Rainbow own eyes were producing tears, a bit odd looking since she had two sets of them. "I understand completely."

They broke the embrace, each wiping their eyes, Rainbow looked behind Pink to see Black Diamond, looking impassively at the ordeal. She stepped past her and offered her hand out to the Diamond, along with a smile. "Hello, I don't think we've _ever_ met. And you are?"

"Unimpressed." Black said with a snort, crossing her arms.

Rainbow's smile faltered a bit and she looked back to Pink, who gave her a look of apology. "Sorry about her, she's a bit… new… to making friends." Pink walked over placing a hand on Black's shoulder. "This is Black Diamond."

Black Diamond only gazed on, but Rainbow's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh! A Diamond? Another One? Looks like there's a lot to talk about."

Pink nodded. "Yes, do you have a place where we can sit down to talk?"

Rainbow snapped her fingers and the foliage sprang to life. Within seconds a table suitable for both their size and hers was crafted along with chairs for all of them, all made from the plant and fungal life. Rainbow took her seat and Pink took hers, but Black simply walked over next to Pink, refusing the seat made for her.

Rainbow Quartz interlaced her fingers in front of her and leaned forward. "So, shall we start with your stories or mine?"

Pink looked to Black for a moment but got only a blank, more accurately bored, look back before turning back to speak. "Well for starters, where's Flint and Pink Pearl?"

Rainbow got a sad look in her eye. She broke eye contact looking off to the side as she began. "Well, after you were 'destroyed' Pink, there was much tension in the rebellion. And with Onyx gone, we couldn't even fake it for the rest of the rebellion." She look like she wanted to stop, but she continued on. "Flint wanted to avenge you. Said it was our duty as her friends to carry on your fight, but Rose, but I was tired of fighting, and I was far from the only one. We had lost so much all at once, many of us just wanted it to end. We managed to convince Flint to retreat for the time being, we told her we needed to consolidate our forces, and then we'd be able to properly fight back. She accepted that for a while. We came to this place and made a home of it. In truth, I had hoped that after a time, Flint would see the life we built here was worth living and leave the fight behind." Her expression got grimmer. "But no, the fire in her eyes never died. After two hundred years, she demanded to leave, and I begged her not to go, but she wouldn't listen. She, Pink Pearl, and Peridot all left along with just over half our forces who also wanted to continue fighting. I haven't heard from them since."

"Hmpf. They were mostly likely outgunned and destroyed by the empire's forces." Black said.

"Most likely." Yellow agreed.

Pink shot them both a dirty look as Rainbow frowned deeper. "She's probably right. I didn't have the courage to go with them, I was so scared and tired and just wanted peace." Tears began to fall again. "If only-"

"Rainbow Quartz, that's enough. It's not your fault." Pink said. "You did everything you could."

"If she did everything she could she wouldn't _be_ here." Black retorted.

Pink stood from her chair suddenly reeling on Black, grabbing her by her jumpsuit's collar. "That is _enough_ out of you." She shoved her away. "Get out, go upstairs and wait for us to finish."

Black was about to open her mouth to object but decided against it, walking off in a huff.

Pink looked to Rainbow again, sincerity in her every word. "I am _so_ sorry about that."

Rainbow just shook her head sadly. "For what? Saying what I've been saying to myself for over a thousand years?" She banged a fist against the table. " _Stars_ , I can't tell you how much I've wanted to leave this place, to go out and find Flint, and Pearl and Peridot, bring them all back safe and sound. But I can't leave this place, these gems _need_ me. And… I need them too."

Pink was about to ask what she meant by the last part but she suddenly changed the subject. "But I've spoken enough about my past, what has yours been like?"

"Well to start off, White didn't shatter me, as you can see." Pink started. "When the Station was destroyed, Yellow and I were on board and it shattered us both. But, White brought me back using the black water and the parts of Yellow's gem to fix mine."

Rainbow gave a quizzical look. "Why?"

"She wanted me to suffer, to be punished." Pink explained. "She chained me to an asteroid and had me thrown beyond known space, I drifted in that void for a millennia and a half." Sparks began to fly in her hand as she held it up. "But then, I discovered that Yellow's power had passed onto me. I harnessed it and used it to propel myself back into known space. Then I got myself a ship and headed for Earth, which is where I met her." Pink said jabbing a thumb backwards.

"So, what's her story?" Rainbow asked.

"Well I got to Earth and it's a wasteland-" Pink started.

"I know." Rainbow interjected. "I was there myself shortly after the moon was brought down upon it."

"Right." Pink said continuing. "But here's the thing. I find a spire, like the ones they have on Homeworld on this barren, desolate, planet. So, I investigate it and it turns out Peridot had made it."

Rainbow noticeably brightened at her friend's name. "You found her? She was there?!"

Pink's own features saddened as she went on. "No, I mean yes but… the place we-I found, it had been abandoned, for centuries, as I would later find out. It turns out Peridot had set up a base there to try and find a way to fix the Earth." Pink grimaced. "Unfortunately, she found out after hundreds of years of trying that it was hopeless, so she tried something else."

Rainbow widened her eyes in realization. " _Her_."

Pink nodded. "Peridot must have thought that the only way to fight against a Diamond was with another Diamond. She put I don't even know what into her, but I do know this, it cost her quite dearly."

Rainbow's features grew concerned. "What happened?"

"In one of the logs she'd recorded she mentioned some sort of failure with processing Black Diamond, something that almost ruined centuries of work so she was forced to take drastic action." Pink said. "She took pieces from her own gem to make sure that Black would form properly."

Rainbow's hands flew to her mouth. "That's horrible! She sacrificed so much…"

"Too much. It was too much for her gem to handle, when we found her she was only a pile of dust." Pink said a single tear shedding.

Rainbow Quartz shared the tear. "What then?" she asked.

"Peridot succeeded. She made her Diamond and I released her from her pod, where she immediately attacked me." Pink replied.

"So, her social skills reached their peak at the outset then." Rainbow commented.

"From what I've seen of her so far, yes." Pink said exasperatedly. "Luckily, I was able to subdue her and convince her to fight for me. From there, we managed to reach, well here. Apparently Peridot had a lot of information planted into her head, one piece of which was the location of this place. And that about catches us up to speed."

Rainbow put a hand to her chin. "Quite a tale."

"Yes." Pink agreed. "Though perhaps you'd be willing to share how you…" she trailed off as she motioned towards Rainbow herself.

Rainbow took the hint. "What? Become Rainbow Quartz? Well, after the other three left it was just Rose and Pearl for a good long time. They worked together, saw each other every day, shared everything. After a while, they just sort of… became me. Now, I'm like this all the time. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time I unfused."

Pink smiled. "Well I'm happy for you."

Rainbow returned the smile. "Thank you. Though, I'm not the only one, there are a couple dozen or so other perma-fusions around." She leaned forward a mischievous smirk on her lips. "Even ones with four or more."

Pink chuckled. "I'd love to meet some of them."

Rainbow stood from her chair. "Yes, yes! This is a momentous occasion!" She inhaled suddenly. "We should throw a party! A celebration!"

Pink put her hands up. "Whoa, now wait a minute-"

Rainbow walked around the table, taking Pink's hand in hers. "Nonsense! You're the reason we're here at all! Plus, imagine how many different gems probably want to meet you!"

Pink cast a quick glance over at Yellow who simply gave a bemused sort of half-smile.

When she gazed back at Rainbow she saw an expecting grin as wide as her face. "Please, say you'll let me throw a party in your honor!"

Pink closed her eyes and sighed. "Alright fine…"

Rainbow clapped her hands and jumped up and down. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" She started to walk off towards the stairs and Pink could still hear here muttering to herself. "So much to do… so much to do…"

Pink got from her seat, and saw Yellow's smug face staring at her as she walked towards the stairs as well. "Shut up."

Black was waiting, at the top of the stairs, her arms crossed and a curious expression on her face. "Hey, that Rainbow Quartz just rushed on by looking giddy, what's happening?"

Pink walked right by her. "We're getting a party."

Black uncrossed her arms and started to follow behind. "Oh, lovely." She quipped sarcastically.

* * *

Amethyst walked along one of the streets of the colony. The pearl's words were still echoing with her. "Pearlmethyst" she had called her. Was that what she was? A glorified trophy? She shook her head. No, she was _not_ a pearl in amethyst form, or whatever "Pearlmethyst" was supposed to mean. She _was_ an Amethyst, a warrior. She could fight if she needed to, not that she'd ever had to before, but she could.

Her train of thought was broken as a large shadow appeared on the ground in front of Amethyst, she looked up to see a jasper staring down at her a smug smile on her face. "Oh ho ho, look what we have here…" she gave a bow as her voice dripped with mockery. "my clarity."

Amethyst, a little astonished, took a step back. "Who are you?" she asked. "Where did you come from?"

"Easy Jasper, you might spook her." Another voice from behind Amethyst sounded. She turned to see a citrine and a cat's-eye quartz coming up from behind. "Sorry about that, ma'am. Jasper's a bit… lax with formalities."

Amethyst felt an unease rise within her. She had better get back before something happened, "Oh, well, it's fine. You guys can just call me 'Amethyst'."

The three began to close in and she heard the citrine chuckle. "Is that her name now?"

"Awfully kind of you. You can call me Cat's-Eye, or C.E." She jabbed a thumb towards the gem behind her. "That's Citrine and, of course, you've met Jasper."

"Hey."

"How's it going?"

Amethyst looked at each in turn, the feeling grew. "Well it was nice to meet you all, but I really should get back to-" She tried to step past them only for them to block her way.

"Hey now, what's the hurry?" Jasper asked.

"We were just about to go meet up with some other quartzes before we have to go wait on the upper crusts." C.E. explained. "You're one of us, why not come with?"

Amethyst was about to object when Citrine spoke up. "Nah, forget it Catty. She doesn't want to hang out with us, she couldn't handle it."

The short gem felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "Hey! I could handle anything-"

She was interrupted again as Jasper interjected. "Yeah C.E., Cit's right. She may be a quartz, but I bet she's never been in a scrap. She'd probably just whine about getting her gem scuffed."

Citrine and Jasper laughed and Amethyst's cheeks were somehow turning crimson despite her purple complexion. "Yeah, you guys are probably right." C.E. agreed. "Let's go and leave the 'Pearlmethyst' to her parties."

The three broke the circle around Amethyst and began to walk off. "Hold it!" Amethyst said, her purple skin mixing with the purple and creating a strange pinkish-violet. "Do _not_ call me that! My name is Amethyst! A-ME-THYST!" she shouted enunciating each syllable. "I am a quartz! I am a warrior! I can handle _anything_ you guys could throw at me!"

The three gave each other a knowing glance before all eyes were on the purple gem. "Anything?"

Amethyst crossed her arms, fire in her eyes. " _Anything_."

Cat's Eye grinned. "Follow us."

* * *

Many of the gems were whispering to one another as they shuffled along. It had been sometime since Rainbow Quartz had called for a gathering like this and they were wondering what the occasion was. Rainbow had been quiet about it, wanted it to be a surprise, yet still the rumor had spread like wildfire, the rumor of _Diamonds_ among them.

It seemed unreal.

Everyone knew that there was only one Diamond left, and that was White Diamond herself. And yet, many had seen the two strangers come through the main cavern's entrance. They were gems that no one had ever seen before. The first was taller, and was a strange mixture of pink and yellow. The second was black with streaks of grey and silver. For gems like these to come here, what could they want?

The main cavern was full of gems, waiting for Rainbow to appear. Every terrace was packed, all eyes on the very center of the main cavern. The dome's top began to shift and move, a platform rising from the new hole. Atop it, was the gem was waiting for, as well as the top strangers.

Rainbow took a step apart from the Diamonds, gripping a microphone. "Hello my friends! Thank you for coming!" She said enthusiastically. "I'm sure many of you are wondering why I called you all here! I have fantastic news! Pink Diamond has returned!"

The reaction was mixed. The buzz of whispers flew across the crowd, the main source of noise, there were a few cheers and some clapping, but many also stared in disbelieving silence.

Rainbow held up her hand and all quieted. "I know this may seem strange to many of you, as it was for me." She began. "All of you at one time or another have been told of Pink Diamond's demise, something that affected us all. But I assure you, this is she, in fact I would now like to allow her to speak to you all, so please, if you would all listen, I present you Pink Diamond!" Rainbow stepped back and began to clap, joined by many others in the crowd as Pink stepped up to the microphone, adjusting it so that it was at her own height.

"Thank you Rainbow." Pink looked out on the crowd, feeling hundreds of thousands of eyes upon her. "Greetings all! I am, indeed, Pink Diamond." She heard more whisper but continued. "I know, to many of you this is quite strange. After all, Pink Diamond was shattered, right? Well, no. I was captured by White Diamond after the battle of the Station, my treatment at her hands while I was her captive resulted in what you see today. I only recently escaped from her clutches and have done my best to return as fast as I could. And why?!" She asked, only to be met with a resounding silence as they waited on the answer. "To make sure you were all safe."

There were more murmurings from the gathering around them and Pink spoke again. "You see, my gems, it was for you that I fought against the other Diamonds. I believe in equality for all gems, that every gem had the right to choose their own fate, rather than be doomed the same hierarchy that said I was superior to all of you. Now that I am here, there is something that I have to say to each and every one of you." She paused and the silence in the cavern was so profound you could hear the dripping from the stalactites from the ceiling as the moisture rolled off them. "I couldn't be prouder." Pink spread her arms. "This, this right here. It's everything I could have wanted for you all and more. Even in the short time that I've been here, I can see that you've achieved something special here. So once more, I am proud of all of you as you should be proud of yourselves."

The cavern erupted with thunderous applause and cheering. Pink glanced behind her to see an approving nod from Yellow, a wide smile from Rainbow and the closed, indifferent eyes of Black.

Rainbow stepped back up to the microphone. "Well, wasn't that a thing to hear from Pink Diamond?!" she stepped away from the microphone for a second, turning to the Diamonds. "Black Diamond, did you want to say something?" she asked.

Black opened one eye then closed it, snorting. Rainbow just shrugged and turned back to the microphone. "Now it's time to celebrate so loud, White Diamond herself could here us!" On cue, large speakers appeared in key points and a booming music beat began to play. The gems everywhere began to dance and shake, the sound and motion causing the whole cavern to vibrate.

The platform descended and the three found themselves alone in the dome. Rainbow turned to Pink and hugged her. "Oh, that was wonderful! I forgot how well you publicly speak." She gave a side glance to Black. "Which is more than I could say for some others."

Black barely gave her a glance. "I am a warrior, and a Diamond. I wield powers that most could only dream of and I will _not_ waste my time with frivolous speeches to soothe the little minds of lesser gems."

Pink narrowed her eyes. "Being a Diamond is about more than just being the strongest."

Black met her gaze with one equally as fierce. "I supposed that must be true, since it _is_ coming from the weakest of the originals." She pointed down to Pink's gem. "The only reason you got stronger was by using the strength of a greater gem."

Pink held the gaze for a second longer then closed her eyes and sighed. "You really are a pain in the butt." She turned to Rainbow Quartz. "Do you have a terminal nearby?"

Rainbow nodded. "Yes, my own personal console is down below."

Pink turned back to Black and produced Peridot's console data. "Since you don't want to be social, why don't you take this and see if you can't clean some of it up?"

Black looked at it and then to Pink. "You expect me to do that?" Pink nodded. "What makes you think I can?"

"Because I'm betting that Peridot put more than how to fight and where the rebellion was inside you." Pink guessed, Black remained quiet and Pink continued with her suspicion. "So, I'm guessing that she also imparted upon you how to fix such a problem should it arise."

Black frowned but took the data and turned to Rainbow. "So, where is it?"

Rainbow beckoned for Black to follow her and Black did so, begrudgingly. Pink was left aloe and Yellow appeared once more, the smug smile still on her face. "What are you so happy about?' Pink asked.

"Well, seeing you struggle has been somewhat entertaining." Yellow began. "But just think, most of the gems out there are going to think you the stuff of legend. They idolize you." She said pointing to the statue. "We could use them to forge our army against White."

"I'm not going to force peaceful gems to fight just to feed your vendetta." Pink argued.

" _Our_ vendetta." Yellow reminded. "And besides who said anything about force? I'm sure if you merely ask it of them there are droves of gems waiting to fight in your name."

"These gems have established a home here Yellow, a way of life." Pink said, walking over to one of the windows of the dome and looking out as the party got started. "I'm not going to tear them away from it for my own gain."

Yellow gave an annoyed look. "Don't be so naïve. One way or the other we're going to need power, military strength and a lot of it. Those gems out there owe you everything, Rainbow Quartz said so herself."

Rainbow Quartz's head emerged form the top stair and Pink quickly looked to Yellow. "Enough. Go away."

Yellow gave a disapproving glare. "This isn't over Pink." With that she disappeared once more.

"Black Diamond should have everything she needs." Rainbow Quartz said as she took Pink's hand. "Shall we go?"

Pink smiled down on her. "Let's."

* * *

The console Rainbow had referred to had been in an adjacent room to the one they'd first met Rainbow Quartz in. Once Rainbow had cleared the foliage she had given Black access to it. Only limited though, just enough to access and fix the data Pink had given her. Black had to admit, it was a wise precaution and despite her mannerisms, Rainbow was no fool.

Still, Rainbow had underestimated just what Black could do. Peridot had, in fact, imparted many pieces of information to her in the pod. One of these being Peridot's source code, the same code that the Rebel forces had used, and the same one running this console now. Black had full access within minutes and she started looking around for real information that could help her.

She ran through data sheets outlining the refuge's defenses, all pretty solid, but unlikely to survive a direct assault from the empire. The gems here all had at least rudimentary training, but most only put it into action on the rotational guard duty it seemed, most of the time not even then. She accessed data about their flight capabilities and found that their hanger was actually fully stocked, though with mostly large transport ships. Most likely to hightail out of the system if the empire caught wind of the place, Black surmised. It looked like it would be easy enough to gain access to the hanger and from there procure a ship of her own.

Now for the real stuff.

She access data on White Diamond and the empire at large, more specifically recent activity. To her surprise there had been an empire wide alert that had gone out recently. White Diamond herself had left Homeworld.

This was big.

But it raised a question, why hadn't Rainbow Quartz said anything? This was an opportunity to destroy the heart of the empire itself and she was just _ignoring_ it? Why? Was she really that much of a coward that any chance that Pink would even be slightly interested in fighting the empire and thus ask her to fight cause her such fear?

Well, regardless it was important information. But what to do with it?

Confront Rainbow Quartz? No. The little slag seemed to have quite the pull with Pink and she didn't like her odds at wining even with this evidence.

Just tell Pink? No, different start but same outcome as the first option.

Leave by herself? It seemed the most efficient, she wouldn't have to deal with Rainbow or Pink and she would get a chance at fighting the most powerful gem to ever exist, and in defeating her prove herself to be the most powerful gem to be exist. If she did that, all her problems would be gone. The empire she'd been made to destroy would quickly collapse without its keystone, and after that she could do as she pleased.

The choice was clear.

* * *

Rainbow watched from one of the elevated terraces as Pink mingled down below. Even over the loud music she talked as many of the gems who came to her as she could. At this distance she couldn't make out the words, but if things kept going the way they were it wouldn't be hard to-

She felt a tap on her leg and turned around to see an Amethyst behind her. She bent down and gave the gem her ear, the color draining from her face as the information the gem relayed reached her. Rainbow thanked the gem and quickly and gracefully jumped over the crowd of gems, making her way to Pink.

Rainbow reached her and Pink greeted her with a friendly face but saw the distress in Rainbow's eyes. "What's wrong?!" She asked over the music.

Rainbow shook her head. "You're not going to like it!"

* * *

 **Done. Now to answer some questions…**

 **Guest – Yes, that is that reference.**

 **Riux – I do like reading, yes.**

 **Celthevampire – The very same, though I thought that was already pretty clear.**

 **Guest – She is not, she is from the show.**


	15. Ch 15: Grey Area

**Chapter 15, Oh I see, no one comments if it's just exposition. You only comment if something awesome happens. No room for explaining shit, you just want me to Michael Bay the hell out of this.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 15: Grey Area

Rink was livid, how could Black do something this stupid?

Rainbow Quartz was right on her heels, the celebration still going on around them even as they the two of them shot through the crowd towards the main entrance. "Pink! Wait!" she shouted to no avail.

Rainbow finally caught her as they entered the connecting corridor between the main entrance and the cave outside. "Pink! Stop!"

The Diamond turned around. "That little idiot! She took off to fight White _alone_! What in space was she thinking?!"

Rainbow grabbed one of her hands, trying to reassure her with her presence. "Pink, you need to calm down. Rash actions are going to get us nowhere."

"And what do you expect me to do, Rainbow?" She asked. "I need to leave now, get to where Black is and bring her back before White _obliterates_ her."

"Or worse, gets her to join her side." Yellow added.

"Do you even know where she went?" Rainbow asked, crossing her arms.

"No." Pink admitted, before pointing her finger at Rainbow. "But you _do_ , don't you?"

* * *

Black had to admit, being a passenger in a ship and actually trying to pilot one were two different things. First off, the cockpit wasn't meant for a gem of her size, she had to forcibly will her form smaller just to work the controls. Now though, the ship was in auto-pilot, she would be there within the hour and then it would be time to see if all of the peridot's hard work had really paid off.

She had to admit, she was getting excited.

When she'd first emerged she hadn't even recognized Pink as a Diamond at first. Mostly because there had only been four recorded Diamonds ever existing and she did not match to any of them. But whatever White had transformed her into, she was definitely a Diamond, perhaps even more so now then she had been before.

But now? Now she was going to face a true challenge.

White Diamond, the first gem, a Diamond in a class all her own. Data on her was sketchy at best. The peridot had infused her with knowledge on White Diamond, but concerning her actual fighting abilities, they were mostly hypotheses, no gem had ever seen the full extent of her power.

Still, if the peridot had been anywhere even close to being right, she was in for quite the battle. It had been White Diamond after all that had turned the Earth into ash, and by throwing its _moon_ into it of all things. At least the peridot had thought it must have been the moon, given that the Earth no longer had one. Such a feat would have been something to see, she imagined.

Despite all this, Black had no doubt in her mind of her victory. It was what she'd been made for, after all. She was Black Diamond, the eclipse that would devour White Diamond's light and defeat her.

Black grinned to herself, she couldn't wait.

* * *

White Diamond chuckled. "Oh, Sapphire dear, you've really been quite the gracious host to me."

The sapphire beamed and bowed. "Think nothing of it my Diamond, you deserve nothing less than the best!"

White gave a nod of acknowledgement. "Indeed. Perhaps you'd care to meet my amethyst?" White offered. "She's really quite something I'm sure you'd love her."

Sapphire gave a slightly strained smile. "Of… course, I'm sure she's lovely…" she responded with much less enthusiasm. She then went suddenly ridged. "Wait, I'm getting a vision."

"Now?" White asked. "What is it? What do you see?"

Sapphire was silent as she concentrated but slowly spoke. "I see… a ship, it will… enter our orbit in… only a few moments. Aboard it is a gem. She… is seeking… you. She wants to… fight… you…"

White knelt down, pressing the significantly smaller gem for more information. "What does she look like? Can you see her gem?"

Sapphire concentrated harder. "I see… hair like starlight… a black form… shining white eyes… and her gem…" She gave a sharp intake of breath.

"What is it?"

"Her gem… it is a Diamond…" Sapphire finished.

The whole room had fallen silent now. White stood to her full height and gave a quick look around the room. "Everyone. Clear out. Only agates are to remain, all quartzes, protect your superiors with your lives and escort them to the nearest shelter." Everyone remained still. " _Now_." White said with the force of an order.

Everyone in the room did as they were told. But before she left Sapphire spoke. "What about our defenses, my Diamond?"

"You can see the future. You tell me." White replied.

Sapphire nodded. "…Understood." With that she was escorted away and White was left with the four agates who'd been attending.

They gathered before White, looking to her for instruction. "What shall we do?"

White gave a half-smile. "Prepare for our guest, of course."

* * *

Black's ship dropped out of the system. She had expected to be immediately fired upon, or at the very least for someone to try and question her presence here.

And yet, there was nothing. No signal of warning or hails for communications. Everything was strangely quiet, and that bothered Black.

She considered turning around for a brief moment. But the thought of a lecture from Pink or being called a big-talking do-nothing coward was something even less appealing than walking into a trap. So, down she descended through the atmosphere. Once again, there was nothing there either, no gems walking on the ground nor were there any traffic in the air, only emptiness.

Black touched down and departed from her craft. Suddenly all the lights from the buildings and the street lamps began to dim, further and further until Black was left in the darkness of the night. Then lights flicked on a distance away from her on a single street, lighting up a path for her to follow. "I guess I'm expected."

* * *

Amethyst was following Cat's-Eye while Jasper and Citrine followed behind Amethyst. The little quartz had noticed that for the last ten minutes or so, she hadn't seen a single other gem. Not one working or walking around or… anything. Everyone had just cleared the streets, leaving it eerily vacant.

Jasper walked a little fast, jogging until she was up with Cat's-Eye leaving Citrine by her side as they continued to walk. She was whispering but Amethyst could still make it out.

"Something happened." Jasper said. "Maybe we should just do it here?"

C.E. eyed her friend then gave a backward glance to the little quartz before looking back. "When I give the signal, you know what to do."

Amethyst's mind raced, they were about to jump her and do who knows what. But, she didn't betray her knowledge of the situation, she kept calm and kept walking even as Jasper slowed down to walk with Citrine and nudged her in the arm. The Yellow quartz nodding in response as the three of them took places equidistance from her.

All at once, Cat's-eye turned around and summoned a whip, Citrine summoned a war hammer while the Jasper summoned gauntlets. Cat's-Eye made the first move, using her whip to get at Amethyst's legs but the purple gem jumped backwards as she summoned her own whip.

Jasper and Citrine moved at once now that Amethyst was well within range, but the little quartz was faster. She wrapped her whip around the shaft of Citrine's war hammer as it drew near and pulled it, altering its trajectory and knocking into Jasper's side.

Before she could celebrate she heard the air crack as the Cat's-Eye's weapon neared her. She dodged under Citrine, sliding between her legs only to be met with the waiting hands of Jasper who'd recovered much faster than the purple quartz had anticipated. She was grabbed by her leg and held upside down. "Gotcha."

"Think so?" Amethyst asked, pointing down to Jasper's feet. She looked down and saw Amethyst's whip encircling her legs. The quartz pulled tight and Jasper lost her grip along with her balance. The little quartz flew threw the air and landed on her feet only to see a shadow enveloping her, she barely dodged as Citrine brought down her hammer and created a crater where had once been paved street.

"Citrine!" Cat's-Eye called out. "We're trying to capture her intact! Be more careful!"

"It's kinda hard C.E.!" Citrine called back before looking to where Amethyst had rolled to… only to see now Amethyst. "Where'd she go?!"

Jasper pointed to a fleeing figure that was making very good time. "She's getting away!"

"Go! After her!" C.E. called out as the three began their pursuit.

The ran for a few blocks before Amethyst ducked into an alley. "We got her now!" Jasper said triumphantly.

But when they entered the ally, no Amethyst. "What? Where'd she go?" Citrine asked aloud.

C.E. gritted her teeth but then sighed. "This wasn't how it was supposed to go. But it looks like we don't have any choice. Let's get back to the boss before something else goes wrong tonight." With that the other two nodded and the three departed.

Amethyst watched them leave from her perch on the building above. She'd barely managed to get up here with her whip before the three had caught up to her. They had wanted to capture her, but they said things hadn't gone according to their plan, so whatever caused the blackout and the sudden lack of gems around wasn't their doing. But then what had? She'd better get back to White before she started to worry.

As she found her way back to the hub of the world, she saw, in the distance, a figure walking along a path of lights leading right to where White was supposed to be. She was tall, for one, no, more than that she was an enormous gem, almost as tall as… as White.

Amethyst shook her head. No this couldn't be, could it? Was she seeing a _Diamond_? Another one? She was sure White had said the others were all gone, that she was the last. And yet, from what White had told her of the Diamonds, this figure could be such a gem. However she definitely wasn't one of the ones she'd been told about. She wasn't the right color to be any of the others she'd been told about, was she a new Diamond? Had White's presence somehow drawn her here? What was the reason? She drew closer but remained just outside of the light, decided to follow behind slowly.

* * *

Black continued on the path of light, she looked out upon the darkened cityscape and wondered what the other gems must have thought of this situation. Did they know what was happening? Who was here? It somehow seemed both likely and unlikely all at once. She was sure that _someone_ knew she was here, it certainly explained all the theatrics, but she also somehow doubted that they had any specifics, how could they after all?

Outside of that, she felt a presence behind her trying to keep itself unnoticed. It was small, perhaps the size of a peridot or smaller. It hardly posed a threat to her, so for now she was just ignoring it, but should it try and take its chances, she'd end it in an instant.

Her train of thought was suddenly derailed as saw the end of the path leading to a large pyramid-shaped building. Outside of it, Agate stood, facing one another and lining the entrance to the structure.

As Black approached, the agates in twos, began to kneel down and salute her. She paid them a single glance before going on her way and entering the pyramid.

Amethyst saw as the Diamond entered the building and watched as the agates slowly stood back up and began to file in behind. She quickly ran up, changing her form to fit an agate and walked behind the last agate before the doors closed behind them.

Black walked along the hallway within and soon enough found herself in a large spherical room. Within it a single light shown down on a figure, one that Black had been anticipating.

White Diamond awaited her guest, an intrigued look on her face. She watched from her throne as Black approached and then stopped just outside the light that encircled White herself. "Welcome, I've been expecting you."

Black was silent for a moment before replying. "I'm not sure how you even could, unless…" Black gave a little half-smile. "Unless there was a sapphire who told you of my coming."

White returned the half-smile with one of her own. "Indeed. Though to be honest I couldn't quite believe it when she told me that there was a Diamond coming, seeing how I'm the only one that _should_ be left." Her smile turned coy and full. "Which would make you a _new_ Diamond."

Black nodded. "That's right." She raised her fists and got into a fighting stance. "Well? What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

White put a hand to her chin in thought. She then clapped her hands and a chair formed out of nothing opposite White near Black, it was a smaller blue throne compared to White's larger ivory one. The elder Diamond motioned to it. "Sit. There's much I want to discuss with you."

Black looked somewhat insulted. "I came here to fight and defeat you, not to tal-"

"Sit, _now_." White interrupted. Black felt thrown off for a second before she slowly lowered her hands and complied to White, sitting in the throne provided. "Now, tell me, why do you have this desire to fight me?" she asked.

"You're the strongest gem in all the empire, perhaps the single strongest being to ever exist." Black replied as she clutched the arms of her throne. "If I defeat you, it'll prove that _I'm_ the strongest."

White gave her a quizzical look. "You simply want to prove you're stronger than me?"

Back nodded. "That's right."

"I see." White tapped her chin with a single finger. She stopped as she spoke again. "And then what?"

Black wasn't sure what she meant. "What do you mean 'And then what'?"

"After you defeat me, _if_ you defeat me." White explained. "After that, what will you do?"

Black paused. She considered the question before even coming here, but in truth she wasn't sure. She _wanted_ to fulfil her purpose, if only so that she might be free to do as she pleased, but what did that mean? Regardless, she couldn't answer like that. "Whatever I want." She said finally.

"And that is?" White asked pointedly. After a few seconds of silence White laid her arms to rest on the arms of the throne and crossed a leg. "Here's what I think. I think that you weren't a natural-born Diamond. I think that someone or something made you with an express purpose, namely my destruction, and to a lesser extent that of the rest of the empire. I think that they were able to create you by using piece of another shattered Diamond, namely my second youngest sister, Blue Diamond. If that's the case, then where you were created was Earth. Am I right so far?"

Black silence was an answer in itself. She hadn't been sure about the Blue Diamond part but everything else had been nearly spot on. "How could you know that?"

"Deduction mostly." White replied dryly. "Someone was able to create a Diamond on _purpose_ , something that has never happened before. That being the case, the mostly likely scenario of being able pull off such a feat is to use the shards of another Diamond. I have a full accounting of where such shards would be. Yellow's and Pink's shards are to my knowledge, in my personal collection or… lost in the void of space." she paused before quickly moving on. "Blue's shards however, I know exactly where they all are. I kept a large piece for myself and the rest of them I left behind before I turned the Earth into a fiery wasteland." She gave a little knowing smirk. "I would have thought them all destroyed in the impact, it must have taken decades to even get the tiniest of slivers of her gem to create you."

Black frowned and her eyes furrowed with annoyance. "So, are we done with these inane questions or are we going to get to it?"

White held up a hand. "Now wait just a moment, I still have more to say." She put her hand to her chin in thought once more. "If I might say, you don't really seem to have a goal beyond beating me. On top of that, it's not even something you necessarily want for yourself but rather something that was instill in you."

Black crossed her arm impatiently. "What are you trying to say?"

White extended her hand. "Join me. I can show you purpose beyond your creation. We could rule as equals, the Diamond authority, remade. In time, perhaps you could even come to see me as your sister."

Black gave a small chuckle before shaking her head. "No. No, I think I'll be doing things my way." With that she stood up so fast the throne fell over. Her arms began to extend as a dark smoke enveloped them, a smog like substance beginning to seep from Black herself.

White sighed. "Very well." She snapped her fingers and agates appeared from around the pillars of the room. They placed devices on the pillars and a wall of light began to connect them together until Black and White were encased within an electrical cage. "If I can't convince you with words then I'll have to take you by force. Even if after a few thousand years you still refuse to join me, at least I may learn a few secrets on creating Diamonds who will." She stood from her throne and it, along with Black's throne, disappeared in a flash of light. Her palms began to glow with soft light and she motioned for Black to come at her. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

Black's form began to grow as the smog around her increased. Soon Black's physical form was lost as she became lost in the shroud. A fist launched from the cloud towards White but she knocked it away with ease. Five more arms formed themselves and made grabs at White. She tried blasting one with a ray of light but as soon as it made contact, the ray was simply absorbed into the cloud and continued on towards her. White changed tactics and dogged out of the way of the intrusive appendages.

"So, you can absorb my light." White commented as she readied herself again. "You really were made to fight me, weren't you?"

"I was made to _destroy_ you." Black corrected as tendrils of smog rush at White.

The elder diamond waved her hand and a wall of light appeared, separating the two Diamonds. The tendrils bounced against the wall, pushing against it in vain. "Come now, won't you reconsider? We could use strength like yours in the empire."

Black emerged from the smog, touching the wall. "Not a chance." She pulled back her fist and struck the barrier, causing it to crack. "After all, you're about to fall, here and now."

White narrowed her eyes. "Think so?" She raised a hand and the wall's crack sealed up instantly. She then extended her hand and the wall began to push back against Black. The young Diamond gritted her teeth as she tried to resist, but only managed to slow it down as her hands pressed against the barrier. White slowly closed her hand and the wall began to curve in, creating a sphere and enclosing Black within. "You know, it occurs to me, I never even asked your name."

The sphere stopped shrinking and White could feel immense force pushing outward. She tried to adjust but too late as the power from within suddenly surged and the sphere exploded outward. Black landed on her feet, a trident, black as night, now in her hands. Her eyes glowed and she took a stance with it. "My name is _Black_ Diamond."

She charged with the trident and attempted to stab White only for another barrier to block her way. "Yes, I figured as much." She then leaned closer. "Are you finally ready to take this seriously then?"

Before Black could answer there was a cracking sound from above. The two Diamonds looked up to see a large crack on the ceiling. They heard a faint pounding from the other side and the crack got larger and larger.

White narrowed her eyes. "What in space…?"

 _ **CRAAASH**_

Where once White Diamond stood was now large chunks of ceiling. A figure jumped down from above through the newly created hole and landed on top of the debris. Black looked on, absolutely dumbfounded at what she'd just witnessed. The figure turned around and was revealed to be none other than Pink Diamond, a stern admonishing look on her face. " _YOU_!"

Black was nearly too shocked to speak. "Pink?! What the… How did you…?"

Pink marched down from the rubble and knocked Black upside her head. "What in the burning quasar were you thinking coming here?!" she asked.

Black rubbed her head. "Ow! I was just trying to-"

"Save it!" Pink said. "We're going now!" She grabbed Black's arm but the younger Diamond resisted.

"Let go! Do you even realize what you've done?!" Black asked.

"Yeah, I saved you from making the mistake of trying to go up against White Diamond! Do you have _any_ idea how stupid that was?" Pink asked as she tried to pull again only to be met with resistance.

"And where do you think White is now?" Black asked.

"I assumed she was here!" Pink replied. She then looked around at the field surrounding them. "It looks like she trapped you here, probably to wait you out until she got here."

"She _is_ here!" Black said causing Pink's face to drop and loosen her grip.

Pink suddenly looked around wildly. "Where?!"

"When you broke in from the ceiling, you sort of…" Black pointed over to the pile of rubble.

Pink looked to the pile then to Black and back again. "Oh, no way…"

The younger Diamond nodded. "Yeah, but that's not going to hold her for long."

Light began to emit from the rubble and Pink grabbed Black's arm. "That's not going to hold her at _all_ now go!" Pink lifted up Black and tossed her up and out through the hole in the ceiling before jumping up through it herself.

The agates quickly dispersed the force fields and drew close to the rumbling debris. With a sudden burst of light the rocks were blown away and White stood to her full height, adjusting her mask and dusting herself off.

One of the agates approached. "Are you… alright my Diamond?" she asked.

"Fine." White said flatly. "That was a bit… unexpected." She looked up towards the hole. "I can only assume they've escaped."

The agates nodded. "Yes."

White sighed. "Wait here." She said before jumping up and out of the building.

* * *

Pink hurried Black into her own craft which was lying nearby, practically throwing her against the hull while she order Morganite to get them into the air. Black turned to her sister. "Pink, why are we leaving? This is perfect! With you and me together we could take out White here and now!"

Pink just glared at her. "If you think that trying to take out White Diamond on her own turf is so easy then you only proving how ignorant you are." Pink then turned back to the cockpit. "Get us in the air now!"

The spacecraft began to lift and before it sped off into the upper atmosphere. An alert suddenly sounded in the ship. "What is it?!" Pink asked.

"A powerful projectile is heading towards us." Citrine said calmly.

"Open the side doors!" Pink barked. The did so and Pink looked down through the clouds, she saw a large wave of energy coming at them.

Black looked out and down as well. "I can-"

"You've done enough already." Pink said, glaring at her before returning her focus to the task at hand.

Yellow looked to the beam then to Pink. "You can't overpower it Pink, you need to deflect it."

"I know." Pink said quietly before clenching her fists. She took a few breaths and then extended her palms out. A surge of lighting burst forth and enveloped the ship. As the beam made contact with the barrier it pushed against it and Pink gritted her teeth, trying to hold back against the overwhelming force. The stream of light eventually subsided and Pink fell to one knee, exhausted from the sudden exertion of her power.

* * *

White grimaced. Had that been _lightning_ she'd just seen? She shook her head free from the thought, that question could b answered later. She took a communicator from her person and activated it. "Listen well Morganite, a ship is currently headed out of this system, capture it before it leaves, failing that you will follow its jump trajectory."

"As you wish, my Diamond." The voice came back. White watched her ship rise in the distance before taking off into the sky after its prey.

* * *

Pink sat down inside the ship. She turned to the cockpit. "Are we in space yet?"

As if on cue all the remaining air inside the ship was sucked out as they finally left the planet behind. The door closed and Pink stood up looking to Black. She narrowed her eyes and Black for once looked away, a small sign of remorse in her eyes. "My Diamond, two ships are heading towards us." Morganite informed.

"They must be sending pursuit ships." Pink surmised.

"No, my Diamond. Only one ship is approaching us from the planet. The other ship is approaching from the space around the planet." Citrine explained. "We're also being hailed by that ship."

"Put them through." Pink order.

After a few seconds an entirely unfamiliar voice came over communication. "Look, there's no time to explain, our ship can house yours but you have to get aboard quickly. White's flagship is approaching fast and we won't have much time to get out of here."

"Got it, we'll meet you and get aboard." Pink answered.

Black gave an incredulous look to Pink. "Are you kidding me?! We have no idea who these gems are! They could just as easily be working for White Diamond!"

"What choice do we have?!" Pink hissed in response. "This ship is _not_ going to outrun a warship like White's, with theirs, we may at least have a chance. Besides are you really one to be chiding others for bad ideas after the stunt you tried to pull?"

"My Diamond, this ship." Citrine said pointing out the window. Pink leaned forward to look. The ship was also a warship, one nearly as big as White's in-fact. It was a steely grey with streaks of pink adorning the sides.

She knew this ship.

"Heading in now." Morganite said robotically before their little ship zoomed towards the much larger one. Once they had landed inside the docking bay the warship closed it's hatch and began to move out towards space.

Pink ordered her two minions to stay aboard as she and Black departed. They were greeted by a group of three, a Jasper, a Citrine, and a Cat's Eye Quartz. The Cat's Eye greeted her. "Hello there, Pink Diamond. I'm Cat's Eye, this is Jasper and Citrine, we've been ordered to escort you to the bridge.

"That's not really necessary." Pink replied.

"Oh, I know." Cat's Eye agreed. "But we have business up there anyways so we might as well all go together." She turned to Black. "And this is…?"

Black opened her mouth to speak but Pink interjected. "She's with me, don't worry."

Cat's Eye just shrugged. "If you say so. It's this way." With that she led the group to the elevator within the ship and they all climbed inside, beginning their rise after Cat's Eye pressed the button for the bridge.

The ship suddenly shuddered as something impacted its side. "What was that?" Citrine asked.

"White's ship has caught up to us." Pink concluded. "They must be firing on us. But even at this point if we get away, the ship will follow us after we jump."

Cat's Eye smiled knowingly. "No, if we manage to jump, I think we'll be just fine."

* * *

Morganite watched from her seat as the enemy ship she was pursuing had just entered a large war vessel. "Captain!" On of her pilots called out. "The enemy ship is about to jump!"

"Then we do the same! Prepare the engines!" Morganite ordered.

The captain watched as the enemy ship jumped into the distance. "Did you get the jump trajectory?"

"Yes captain!"

"Then prepare to jump on my mark!" Morganite ordered. "Three… two… one… now!" White ship lurched forward and explosions suddenly ran across its hull. Morganite looked to one of her pilots. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"Critical engine failure!" She informed. "The warp-drive! It's going critical!"

Morganite quickly got to her comms. "ATTENTION CREW! ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHI-!"

 _ **CRAAA-BOOOOMM!**_

* * *

White watched as the sky far above her lit up like a supernova before her own ship exploded in a rain of metal and debris.

She frowned before jumping back into the hole. The agates who were still gathered waited for her to say something. "Gather Sapphire and the others. There is much that needs to be discussed immediately."

* * *

The group of five reached the bridge and departed. Pink was beyond a shadow of a doubt now, this had been her own old warship. In the captain's chair, turned away from them a voice ordered. "Stay on the current course, I only want to see subspace for a while."

"Yes ma'am!" The pilot replied.

"Cat's-Eye! Report!" The captain ordered, again without turning around.

C.E. rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry boss, we couldn't capture the Pearlmythyst."

"Is that so?" The captain wondered. She then turned around and Pink and Black got a good view of her. She had wild shoulder length hair the color of a dull-brass with pink-highlighted streaks that seemed to jut out form her head at random. Her body was tall, nearly as tall as Black even but not bulky, rather she was lean and rangy, but still muscular where her grey jumpsuit didn't cover, mostly her forearms. But the most unique thing about her appearance was her eyes. Her right was a steely gray while the other was a cotton-candy pink. "Could it possibly be because of our newly arrived guests?"

"Well, it was mostly her fault." Pink said pointing to Black.

The younger Diamond glared but the captain gave a chuckle. "Yes well, things never did quite go to plan with us, did it Pink?"

Pink did a doubletake at the new gem before her. "Sorry, have we met?"

The captain gave a toothy grin. "Well, no one knows you better than me, and no one has known you longer than I have."

Pink widened her eyes. "Flint? Is that you?"

The captain's smile grew wider. "Actually we go by Phenakite, these days."

* * *

 **Done, holy s#!t was this a slog. Review, if you wouldn't mind.**


	16. Ch 16: Bitter Reunion

**Chapter 16, *says something clever.* *TV Studio audience laughs***

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 16: Bitter Reunion

Phenakite stepped from her chair and looked over her shoulder, calling out to her pilot. "Hey Amethyst! Keep her on course while I have a chat with our visitors!"

"You got it boss!" The purple haired quartz replied without turning around.

Phenakite gestured for the Diamonds to follow her but Cat's-Eye stepped up to intervene. "Hey Boss, what about us? We failed." The three quartzes looked downtrodden.

The brass-haired fusion walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey now, buck up. You'll do better next time right?"

C.E. gave a little smile, which her compatriots mirrored. "Right."

Phenakite slapped her back. "Good! Then get out of here! And get some rest, you've had a long day."

The captain then turned back to the Diamonds and once again motioned for them to follow her as the three left the bridge. Once they entered the captain's quarters, what had once been Pink's own room aboard her ship, Phenakite sat down and motioned for the other two to take seats opposite her.

Phenakite leaned back in her chair, allowing her legs to prop up on a table off to the side while she interlaced her fingers across her stomach. "So, Pink, you've changed."

Pink gave a half smile. "Look who's talking."

Phenakite shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's been a millennia and a half Pink. Did you really think you could just roll back in from who-knows where and everything would be hunky-dory?"

Pink's half-expression shifted to a simple frown and far-off gaze. "No… and believe me in the past few days, that's something I've learned quite thoroughly."

Phenakite grinned her large toothy grin that Pink had already gotten used to as her default expression. Pink's half smile returned but only just as the fusion spoke. "Well now, don't keep me in suspense. What _has_ the last few days been like for you?"

Pink began to recount her exile in deep space and her subsequent return. She told of Peridot's demise and saw tears form, but not fall, in Phenakite's eyes. When she got to what happened right after that though, Phenakite's curiosity was greatly piqued.

"Black was instilled with information on where the rebellion was, courtesy of Peridot." Pink said as she continued the story. "We tracked them underground and found a subterranean colony living in peace with this world. It was quite a thing to see. And the one leading it all was-"

"-Rainbow Quartz." Phenakite finished, a frown on her face for the first time since Pink had met her, which grated was not very long ago, but still. "So, she's still hiding out down there, huh?" She put her feet down and leaned forward. "Tell me, how much did she tell you?"

Pink tried to recount the best she could of Rainbow Quartzes' words. "She said that she convinced you to stay on that planet, on the condition that in time, you'd resume the fight. But when the time came, she begged you not to go. But, you did, along with half the population."

Phenakite's frown deepened. "Oh, she did more than beg. See, in the months before I, or rather, my component parts left, Pink Pearl and Flint had been searching for and gathering like-minded gems who wished to carry on the fight as much as we did. Turns out there were many who felt the same need to continue the fight, over half the gems stationed there, in fact." The fusion's hands balled into fists and her teeth began to grit, but her voice retained its tone. "Rose Quartz pleaded for Flint not to go with the other gems and fight, but she wouldn't hear any of it, Flint had wasted enough time moping around and hiding, it was time to fight back once more. Little did Flint know, that's exactly what Rose had in mind too."

Yellow's eyes widened a bit. "So… that's what happened. That sneaky little Rainbow Quartz, how devious…"

Pink cast a sideward glance, almost voicing a question in front of Black and Phenakite, but the latter continued her story after a brief pause. "Rose and White Pearl took Flint and Pink Pearl to a secluded location to 'talk things out privately', she had said. In reality it was to offer us an ultimatum, give up our crusade and the plans for retaliation against the empire, or she'd be forced to poof us."

"Given that you're here, you didn't submit and you won against them." Black surmised.

"Way to state the obvious. Clearly you must be the smart one." Phenakite snapped dryly, causing both Pink and Yellow to chuckle as Black made a face of insult. The fusion sighed. "Yes, we won. It was the toughest fight I've ever been in, but we came out on top. Flint didn't poof Rose then, telling her she'd keep quiet about what happened in exchange for publicly supporting any gems who wished to leave to fight. Leaving her little recourse, Rose accepted the terms and we've been gone ever since."

Pink could scarcely believe it. Rose Quartz had been hand picked by her so many years ago as a paragon for all she'd stood for. To find Rose capable of such manipulations, even for the greater good, was incredibly disheartening.

Yellow on the other hand seemed impressed. She hadn't expected a simple quartz soldier to be so vindictive and ruthless in pursuit of her goals. It came as a pleasant surprise.

Black wasn't sure what to think. She had information on a 'Rose Quartz' but from what she knew this couldn't possibly be the same gem the peridot had talked about. But as she looked to Pink she could see genuine surprise, even shock, upon hearing this news. Deciding that the momentary silence had lasted long enough, she spoke up. "And what _have_ you been up to ever since?"

Phenakite turned her attention towards the younger Diamond. "Well we've been fighting with the empire, obviously. Mostly hit and run, planting a few spies here and there. But when we'd heard that White Diamond was leaving homeworld, it was an opportunity we couldn't pass up. I wasn't about to risk anyone on a suicide run by attacking White Diamond straight on. Even if they could make it past the legion of troops around her, there's no way that they'd survive a direct encounter with her. So, I got more… subtle about what I was going to do. I snuck in myself and rigged her engines for catastrophic failure the next time they tried to make a hyperspace jump. As well as capture her most trusted confidant, the 'Pearlmythyst', for insurance in case the explosion from a warp-drive aboard the largest warship in the empire's armada, wasn't enough." She then pointed at the both of them. "But then you two stepped in and ruined my carefully laid plans. Now White Diamond's going to be far more prepared."

Pink gave a sort of sheepish smile and rubbed the back of her head. "I'm sorry about all that." She reached across and pulled Black down by the ear. "But when this one ran off, I had to retrieve her before she got herself shattered."

"Or worse." Yellow reminded.

"Tell her you're sorry." Pink scolded into Black's ear.

"Ow!" Black said. "It's not like I knew! Get off!"

"She's right." Phenakite agreed. "Neither of you could have known."

Pink let go and Black sat upright again, rubbing her ear. "How did you get ahold of my ship?" Pink asked.

"Part of the deal with Rose Quartz." The fusion replied. "It's been in a few scrapes and we've had to make repairs, if that's why you're wondering why the pink finish has worn off. "You said that you took a little over half the population with you, this ship should be overcrowded with gems."

Phenakite frowned again. "It was when we left, but over the centuries, we've lost a lot of good gems. Others are out scouting by themselves or otherwise trying to spy on Homeworld colonies, looking for potential weak-spots and willing gems to join up with us."

"How many have you lost?" Black asked.

"We've lost a third of the original gems that came with us when we left." Phenakite replied. "We've tried to make up the numbers but it's been hard without any symbol to rally behind and with only slim promises of freedom…" Her face brightened a bit as she looked towards Pink. "But now that you're here, that could change!" She reached out taking Pink's hand in her own. "You've returned! We can fight back again! We could win!"

Pink retracted her hand away from Phenakite's, and looked down and away. "I'm… I'm sorry. This is all so sudden, I need some time to process."

The fusion nodded and stood up. "I understand. I'll be on the bridge, just meet me there when you're ready to discuss our next move." She exited the room leaving the Diamonds alone with one another.

"Well, wasn't that certainly enlightening." Black said as she put her hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair. "Apparently Rainbow Quartz has been keeping more from us then we realized."

Pink shook her head. "I just can't believe that she would do something like that."

"Well, come to think of it, she did seem rather eager to change the subject when she was speaking of Flint's departure." Yellow added.

"You know, she was rather dodgy about the details concerning how Flint left." Black added after a moment of consideration.

"Isn't that what I just said?" Yellow asked, with annoyance.

Pink ignored her looking towards her younger sister. "So, what do you think we should do?"

Black stopped leaning back in the chair. "What do you mean? We have a warship, we have gems who are willing to fight, I say we stop messing around and start our campaign towards Homeworld!"

"I disagree." Yellow said, earning a look of genuine surprise from Pink. "We still need numbers to win, and even with this entire force at our backs, it's still paltry against the legions under White's command."

Black noticed Pink's shifting facial features and would have sworn she was looking at something just to her left. But when she turned to look, there was nothing there, only a wall.

The young Diamond was about to voice a question but Pink spoke up first. "I think we should head back to Rainbow Quartz."

Black raised a brow. "You want to return to her? Why?"

"Even if we had all these gems on our side we would still be greatly outnumbered." Pink said, echoing Yellow's words. "I don't want to have to, but I'm left with little choice but to ask Rainbow Quartz to throw in with us, Only then, together, we might have a chance of taking down the empire." Pink then looked down to the ground and let her shoulders drop. "Besides, I want to speak with Rainbow Quartz about what we've just heard. I need to hear it from her."

* * *

The two Diamonds entered the bridge and Phenakite greeted them with her signature grin. "So, are you ready then?"

Pink stepped closer, towards the fusion. "Phenakite, what I'm about to say may upset you, but I need you to trust me, for old time's sake."

* * *

Rainbow Quartz felt a mixture of emotions as she emerged from the cave that led to her planet's colony. First, she felt relief, very luckily both Pink and Black Diamond had come back safe and sound no worse for wear. But then she felt concern and confusion when Pink requested her presence away from the underground base. She had asked why, but Pink would only ask her to trust her, only allowing those emotions to grow.

The fusion walked out into the forest and in the distance she saw Pink leaning against a tree. She was looking off into the distance but turned her head as Rainbow Quartz approached. "Pink! I'm so glad you're okay!"

Pink gave half a smile but her eyes still seemed distant. "Yeah… everything… everything worked out alright."

"What's wrong?" Rainbow Asked, drawing ever nearer. "You look… distracted. Is something the matter?"

"A lot of things on her mind, I imagine." Came a voice from behind one of the trees.

Rainbow turned towards its source and saw a gem quite unlike any she'd ever seen before. "Sorry, do I know you?"

"Rainbow Quartz, Rose Quartz and White Pearl." The gem said, a hint of distain in her voice. "How can you not remember your old friends Flint and Pink Pearl?"

Rainbow's eyes widened with shock and she took an involuntary step back as the gem drew near. "No, no, it can't be… Flint? Pink Pearl? Is that you…?"

Phenakite crossed her arms, a deep frown on her face. "Yeah, it's us. We go by Phenakite now, Rainbow Quartz."

"You're a perma-fusion too?" Rainbow asked disbelievingly.

Phenakite did not answer her, instead looking to Pink. "Let's get this over with."

Pink was not looking forward to this. She sighed and got off the tree, she raised a hand and a table appeared along with chairs. "Let's all have a seat, shall we?"

The two fusion looked at one another Rainbow's gaze one of unhappiness while Phenakite's radiated with dull anger and bitterness. Still, after a moment they each took a seat across from one another, with Pink in the middle between them.

After a few minutes of silence, Pink started. "So, to start off, Rainbow, Phenakite here told me how exactly you two… left things."

Rainbow cast her eyes downward and Phenakite's glare became smoldering. "I see…"

"'I see'?" Phenakite asked, almost mockingly. "That's all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say Flin-… Phenakite?" she asked on the verge of tears. "I did, at the time, what I thought was right."

"You tried to stab me in the BACK!" Phenakite barked, exploding and slamming her fist down on the table. "You, literally, tried to stab me in the back!" She repeated as her face twisted with rage. "You know, I do wonder how the gems here would react if they knew that their leader tried to do something like that!"

"I was trying to do what was best!" Rainbow said as she tried to defend herself, on the verge of tears. "Do you know how much I agonize over it?!"

"Oh, boo hoo!" Phenakite replied. "What about me and how I felt?! To have one of my closest friends try to attack me?! Did you ever, for even a second, think about how I felt?!"

"Yes!" Rainbow shot back. "You think that was the plan I wanted to go with?! For _decades_ I tried to talk you out of leaving! I gave you _every_ reason not to go but you wouldn't hear it! It had to be your way!" She took a deep breath and straightened up, the tears still fresh on her face. "But when you talked about taking other gems, _half_ our population no less, I knew that you had to be stopped! By force if necessary!" Rainbow's eyes became dark. "And in the end I was right, wasn't I? You never should have left here."

Phenakite's jaw tightened. "Don't you dare…"

Rainbow turned to Pink. "Has she told you how many losses she suffered?"

Phenakite turned to Pink as she answered Rainbow. "She said she'd lost about a third of the original forces that were with her over the years."

Rainbow turned back to Phenakite. "Oh, was it 'Phenakite'? Was it? Was it 'over the years'?"

Phenakite snarled. "You're about to cross a line, Rainbow Quartz…"

"What is she talking about?' Pink asked Phenakite who was still glaring daggers at her fellow fusion.

"Would you like to tell her, or shall I?" Rainbow asked almost mockingly. She didn't wait for a reply and immediately began to elaborate. "Phenakite here, thought that she could take on White Diamond's armada by herself and her forces. She thought that if they could just finish off White Diamond herself, the rest of the empire would crumble away. But it didn't work out that way, did it?"

Phenakite held up a finger. "One last warning. Stop. Right. Now."

Rainbow ignored her and continued. "Phenakite led her forces to catch White Diamond's flagship and succeeded, but once they had they were almost immediately surrounded by imperial forces. Within minutes Phenakite's fleet had lost dozens of ships and they were forced to retreat into unknown space just to escape. _That's_ how she lost so many gems. A single battle where she was hopelessly outmatched, just like I told her she would be."

Phenakite looked ready to flip over the table and punch Rainbow right in the jaw. Pink readied herself to intervene. On one hand, things were already getting out of hand with shouting and crying. On the other this was probably the best way to go, get everything out on the table so they could deal with it and move forward.

"They died with honor! They died because they believed in something worth fighting for!" Phenakite shouted.

"They died because of your ego and short-sighted need for vengeance." Rainbow hissed. "They died for _nothing_."

Phenakite grabbed the table and ripped it out of the ground, tossing it clear with a single flick of her wrist. All three stood up and Pink stepped in between them. "ENOUGH!" Pink bellowed, causing the ground and the trees to shake and electricity to dance around her. She looked first to Rainbow Quartz. "You tried to manipulate your friends, and when that failed you tried to force her into doing things your way! Then you have the audacity to mock your friend's comrades for dying for their beliefs?! I am deeply ashamed of you, Rainbow Quartz." Rainbow's face fell with her words and was about to respond when the Diamond reeled on Phenakite. "And you! Had you listened to Rainbow Quartz at _all_ there might be tens of thousands of gems or more still around to tell a different story! But because you were more concerned with your vengeance for fallen friends rather than protecting the friends you still had, it cost both you and them! Did you really think that was what I wanted for you?! To fight against impossible odds all for my sake?!" Phenakite's anger evaporated like rain on a hot day as her expression mirrored Rainbow Quartz's. But what Pink said next made the color drain for each of their faces. "You've both severely disappointed me. I can only wonder what Onyx and Peridot would think if they could see you two now."

The two gem's stances relaxed, each now wearing an expression of shame. "We seven were the best of friends. We relied on each other, shared things with one another. But when I was gone, you four fell apart and for that, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you needed me. I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you all sooner." She paused and finally relaxed, the electricity around her disappearing. "But I'm here now, and I want us to work together again. I know it will take time for trust to build again, but I want it to be there, between all of us. What do you say?"

Both the fusions looked from Pink to each other. After a moment they broke the stare, each looking away, turning their backs on one another.

Pink ran her hand through her hair. Getting them on speaking terms again was going to be harder than she thought. "I know there's still a lot we have to work through, but this was a good start." Pink said with confidence.

Neither one spoke up, keeping their backs turned.

"We need to discuss our future together." Pink continued, hoping they were at least still listening to her, if not each other. "You guys go back to your own places, get yourselves ready and fresh. I'll call you soon."

The two fusions wordlessly walked off in separate directions. Pink sighed and walked back to her ship. Black was waiting outside of it, leaning against the hull. "How'd it go?" she asked.

"It was a step in the right direction, I think. But there's still a lot that needs to be worked out." She replied.

"I bet." Black said flatly.

Pink caught her tone. "Is there something the matter?" she asked.

"Yeah." Black said. "I'm starting to think that maybe Rainbow Quartz wasn't the only one keeping secrets."

"Well Phenakite was-"

"No, I was referring to _you_." Black interrupted. "I've been noticing a few… quirks about you for a while, Pink Diamond. You look off to the sides a lot, mutter things under your breath and not to mention _them_." She said jabbing a thumb to the craft she was leaning against.

"What? Morganite and Citrine? They're just-"

"Don't. Lie. To me." Black said emphasizing each word. "These gems are not normal. They have blank stares, only speak when spoken to and are entirely obedient. They have no personality whatsoever and that is _not_ normal. _Something's_ been done to them. Something that you did, I'm willing to bet considering how you deflected the questions I had concerning them to begin with."

Pink was taken aback. To be suddenly questioned about this sort of thing right after the conversation she'd gotten out of, it was jarring, still she held her ground. "What brings this up all of the sudden?"

"You talk a big game concerning the secrets of others and how they should be shared amongst friends.' Black stated. "Yet, here you are trying to keep something from not only them but _me,_ your _sister_." Another surprise, Pink was fairly sure this was the first time Black had referred to herself as such.

"So tell me sister of mine, what are you hiding?"

* * *

White was sitting alone in her throne, her thoughts her only company. She had already doled out all the orders she could, all that there was left to do was to wait for them to be completed so she could move on to the next set. In the meantime though, she sat alone in her throne, her thoughts her only company.

That is until Amethyst came along. "White!" she called out as she neared.

White Diamond looked down at the quartz and welcomed her with a smile. "Ah, Amethyst. I was wondering where you went off to."

"Yeah I went to get some air, the party was just too…" Amethyst trailed off.

White held up a hand. "It's alright. I'm just glad that you're unharmed." She then held the hand to her chin. "Though I must confess, I am curious. Where were you?"

"Well, I was just walking around just a little ways outside when these gems come out of nowhere and try and mess with me." Amethyst explained.

"Oh? Is that so?" White asked.

The purple quartz nodded. "They talked about how they wanted me to come with them to prove myself as a quartz soldier. And like an idiot I fell for the bait."

"If you had really fallen for the bait you wouldn't be here." White said pointedly.

Amethyst nodded. "Well, when the place suddenly got dark and quiet I started to get this bad feeling and tried to back out. They wouldn't let me and they tried to make me come with them, but I escaped."

White nodded. "I see." She said thoughtfully.

Amethyst could tell, White was thinking deeply about something again. She voiced her curiosity. "What are you thinking about?"

"A set of events that I suspect are more than coincidence." White said. "And yet, somehow are as well."

The little quartz frowned. She hated when White did the double-talk, yes-and-no thing. "Could you explain?" she asked.

"I saw a Diamond, Amethyst." White said.

Amethyst nodded. "Yes, I know. I heard and… saw."

White continued on. "I almost had her until I was interrupted by the ceiling coming down on me. A careless mistake. Then when she tried to escape, I tried to shoot down her ship, only to be stopped by a powerful field of electricity."

Amethyst gave a look of great surprise. "Electricity? You don't think that-"

White wasn't done. "Then when I tried to send my own ship after them, it exploded when it tried to use its hyperdrive."

"I still don't understand." The purple quartz admitted. "How does this all fit together?"

"It doesn't not really. Unless you consider that only _some_ of the things that happened are related, while others are not." Great more double talk. "I suspect that two different groups wanted me destroyed. One tried to send another Diamond after me but recalled her for some reason before I could subdue her. Another tried to be more subtle, capture my most precious confidant and destroy me by having me aboard my own ship when next it went to hyperspace. But now, after all that's happened, I also suspect they're now working together, pulling their strengths and assets to destroy me."

"Why are you so sure it was two different groups?" Amethyst asked.

"It was too… disorganized." White replied. "It was as if two different plans just ended up crashing into one another and caused them both to fail. I seriously doubt a single group would allow such a thing to happen. And besides all that, I just have a feeling about it."

"So what do we do now?" Amethyst asked.

"We continue on as normal." White replied.

Amethyst looked confused. "You want to continue on our trip?"

"I do." White confirmed. "These groups, or perhaps now this single group, will strike again. I need to give them ample opportunity to try again."

"You're putting yourself at risk." Amethyst stated.

"My risk is relatively small." White said. "I am a Diamond Amethyst, destroying me is no easy task."

"I don't like it." The little quartz said, shaking her head. "It's a bad idea."

White leaned down, putting a single finger under amethyst's chin and tilting it up so she was looking into White Diamond's eye. "I know you fear for my safety, and your concern means the galaxy to me. But rest assured, Amethyst, I will not be underestimating our enemies. In fact, I've already called it for some special reinforcements."

Amethyst smiled as the acknowledgement for her worries but once again looked confused. "'Special reinforcements'? Who?"

White gave a coy smirk. "They were four 'hopefuls' that my dear sister Pink discarded some time ago and I took them under my care to become… something more."

"Why are you getting them to come?"

"Let's just say, I have a feeling about it."

* * *

 **Wow, that is a lot of drama. Please review.**


	17. Ch 17: Rebellion Reborn

**Chapter 17, I changed the last chapter a bit, be sure to see the ending. Oh, also happy New Year.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 17: Rebellion Reborn

 _Months later…_

* * *

Pink was sitting cross legged by herself in the middle of a clearing, allowing the rain to pass over her form without resistance.

It was a quiet moment, something she found herself longing for these days.

But just as the moment came it passed as Yellow appeared before her. Her expression as disapproving and grim as ever.

"Yellow… come to nag at me again?" Pink asked without opening her eyes, her body as still as stone.

"Is this really the best use of our time, Pink?" Yellow asked. "Sitting in the rain while White readies herself for our next attack? Becoming all the more prepared for whatever we try to do?"

"It can't be helped." Pink replied, still unmoving. "These things take time. I'm attempting to make two different groups act as one and neither is eager to start working with the other."

Yellow scowled. "They are little gems with petty grudges." She said as the rain flew past her spectral form. "We have a war to fight and win and you're holding yourself back because even now you still won't do what needs to be done."

Pink's eyes opened slowly, they glowed softly with yellow light as she glared at her sister. "I am _not_ going to use that power, Yellow. Not on my enemies and certainly not on my closest friends."

"These are not the same gems you left behind, Pink. You know that fact as well as I do." Yellow countered. "I know you can feel it within them, their fears and uncertainty. Especially with that Rainbow Quartz, who I would remind you has already been caught lying to us."

"Out of the necessity of her people, Yellow." Pink reminded. "She didn't lie to us out of selfishness."

"No, she did it because she's a coward." Yellow shot back. "She lied to us so she and her whole craven lot could stay here, hiding under their rock for all time. Now they're being called upon by the very same being that gave them freedom to begin with, and they still have the gall to drag their heels."

Pink sighed heavily. "How many times have we had this conversation, Yellow? You say 'force them to fight' I say 'I won't' You say, 'You have to' I say 'Still no'. It just feels like an endless loop between me and you."

Yellow's eyes narrowed, she looked like she wanted to shout, but instead, her lips only became a thin frown. "Fine. Dismiss me and my counsel. Ignore me and my warnings. But one day, and one day soon, you'll wish you had listened to me." With that Yellow's form disappeared and Pink was left alone again.

Pink attempted to return to her meditations, but Yellow's words kept echoing in her mind, clanging around inside like a loose piece of metal inside a machine. With a frustrated exhalation she picked herself up and walked towards where Phenakite had made camp.

As she walked, Pink reached out and touched the trees, a pang of sorrow echoing through her. Where she had once been able to feel even the most minute of feelings within by mere touch, she now had to concentrate to feel out and control the plants around her. With each passing day she felt her connection to the organics slipping away and the absence was a loss akin to going deaf or blind.

In its place though, she felt her connection to Yellow's power increasing all the time. She could feel arcs of every in machines and within the thunderclouds above. But, unlike her organics, there was no emotion or passion about them. There were only decisive sudden actions followed by a sudden cease of motion. Something that one missed and would never see again if one wasn't paying attention.

These thoughts faded away to the back of her mind as she entered Phenakite's camp. Her troops had cleared out a large section of the jungle and had set up shop quickly and efficiently. Some gems were working on weapons, forging them out of raw metal ore they'd been provided. Others worked in large groups practicing drills, going over battle plans and strategies, others still were simply standing in groups, chatting to one another about this and that.

As Pink walked past the guards, she saw many turn their gazes at her, some whisper, some stared, other simply gave a glance before returning to what they had been previously doing. She took a straight path for Cat's-Eye Quartz, currently sitting at a desk and looking over a file, one of many that were stacked upon the desk. She looked up as {ink approached, greeting her. "Hello to you, Pink Diamond."

"And a hello to you too, C.E." Pink responded warmly. "Where is Phenakite? I would like to speak with her."

Cat's-Eye pointed back into the jungle. "She and Black Diamond are over that way sparring."

Pink raised a brow. "Again?"

Cat's-Eye shrugged. "Apparently Black Diamond's getting a lot closer to beating Phenakite."

Pink raised a brow. "You really think so?"

The Quartz answered with a sly grin. "Not a chance."

* * *

Pink walked through the jungle again, making a beeline into it. She had barely made it two steps before she could hear sounds in the near-distance. The sharp rustling of leaves, clanging of weapons meeting, among other miscellaneous sounds of battle.

She reached the edge of another clearing and saw Black Diamond, her back turned to her, looking up into the trees. Her fists were clenched and something akin to smoke was billowing from them.

"Get down here!" Black yelled before whipping her fist forward and a black smoky tendril shot out.

Pink looked up just in time to see Phenakite on a branch, gracefully jumping to another just in time. "C'mon! You gotta do better than that!"

The response was another tendril and another miss as the perma-fusion this time slid down the trunk of the tree, making it seem as slick as ice before she stopped again as the trunk twisted into a horizontal surface. "You keep aiming where I'm at instead of where I'm going to be!" Phenakite advised as she cupped her hands to her mouth, moderately increasing the volume.

"Fine. If you won't come down…" Black started as she reached out with her black tendril and gripped the branches firmly. "I'll come to you!" She shot up like a drawn arrow, soaring past Phenakite and landing on one of the branches near the top, nearly brushing her head against the canopy.

The perma-fusion was already on the move, quickly climbing the tree towards Black Diamond. The larger gem retaliated with another barrage of dark tendrils but as they approached her the dark appendages missed time and again by a hair's breadth, Phenakite waved through them with astonishing speed and grace. Before Black could even react, Phenakite had closed the distance between them and slammed her feet into the Diamond's chest, launching away from the young Diamond and landing on yet another tree limb.

Black, on the other hand, was sent flying backwards, slamming into the trunk before falling towards the ground. She managed to right herself in the air and manifest another tendril, reaching out and beginning to swing form it. Unfortunately for her, Phenakite was right on top of her, leaping through the air and slicing the tentacle clean in half, causing Black to fall at an angle towards the ground. The young Diamond couldn't react in time and ended up slamming into the dirt below, bouncing off it once before landing and sliding to a stop. She began to pick herself off the ground but before she could even stand up Phenakite landed on top of her, using the full momentum from falling so high to force the Diamond back down. The young Diamond opened her eyes to the sight of a pointed blade at her throat and the half-smile of a perma-fusion.

The young Diamond looked frustrated and Pink was momentarily afraid she might lose her temper. But, to her pleasant surprise, Black returned the smile and they both began to laugh friendly before Phenakite stepped off of her and helped the young Diamond to her feet. "I almost had you." Black said, a smile on her lips.

Phenakite chuckled. "Not really. You're still not getting into the flow of things, B.D.. You have a habit of reaching out and staying put or suddenly moving and exposing yourself. You gotta learn to read the fight, moving or staying put when you need to, based on what your opponent does, not when you want to."

Black looked down and nodded. "Right, I'll work on it." She saw Pink approaching form the corner of her eye and turned her head, Phenakite did the same, her smile growing as she saw Pink. "Hey Boss! How long have you been standing there?"

"I just came around near the end." She informed. "You were both looking pretty sharp out there."

Phenakite reached over and put her arm around Black, causing the later to bend over slightly. "Aw, don't let her hear it Boss! She might start thinking she can actually hold her own in a real fight!"

Black put her own arm around Phenakite's shoulder. "Hey! I could have won if I wasn't going easy on you!"

Phenakite gave a loud response to that. "HA! Listen to this one! Maybe in a thousand years I can actually start trying!"

The two laughed together and Pink could feel herself glowing with pride. Black had, in such a short time, changed so much. She was less abrasive now, getting along better with other gems, mostly Phenakite's soldiers, still progress was progress. Moreover while she would have like to take the credit for that change herself, it was really all Phenakite's doing. Several days after Rainbow and Phenakite's… reunion… Phenakite had heard Black complaining about her leadership skills and of her questioning her ability to command. The perma-fusion had made some comment or another about being an "entitled little piece of slag" who didn't know what she was talking about. Black had taken issue and challenged her, to which Phenakite happily agreed. The fight had been over before it began, the difference in their powers absolutely paling in comparison to the difference in their battle experience and skill.

When Phenakite had beaten her, Pink was sure Black would want retribution of some kind, attempting a sneak attack of some sort or asking Pink herself to punish Phenakite, but no. Black had gotten up, dusted herself off and actually _knelt_ before Phenakite, admitting her defeat and then asking for Phenakite's instruction in battle, to Pink's utter shock.

The perma-fusion had happily obliged, beginning to advise Black on tactics in fights and attempting to train her to better use her power for combat applications. Since then, Black had, to her knowledge, challenged Phenakite over fifty times, and the older gem held a perfect win record. The two in time, had grown closer, causing the shift in Black's personality as she began to see the value of gems she had once considered beneath her notice. Sometimes she even regaled Black with tales of battle long since passed, to which the young Diamond would listen intently to.

It reminded Pink of her earliest days on Homeworld where she herself was given instruction by other gems. Sometimes, if they could break away from their own busy schedules, her sisters would check in on her, if only to measure her progress. And while those times had been something of a treat, it had been her instructors to whom she had a real connection with.

She paused.

It had been… _stars_ … millennia since she thought of them. She briefly mused on what they were doing now before she noticed that the two were now walking over to her.

"I'll see you guys back at camp." Phenakite said as she passed and walked on.

Black looked expectantly at Pink who gave returned the look with her signature smile. "So, it looks like you guys were having fun."

Black returned the smile with one of her own, albeit smaller, something she was doing more of these days. "Yes. But I'm guessing you didn't come out here just to watch us spar."

"Look at you, getting smarter all the time." Pink said teasingly before motioning for Black to follow her. The two began walking through the jungle back towards the camp, but much slower than Phenakite had. "We need to start moving again, I fear with each passing day the window of opportunity for us to strike at White grows ever slimmer."

Black face hardened as her mind raced with battle analysis. "I agree. It's time we start moving."

"But we need _all_ our forces to move with us if we want to have a chance of this working." Pink added.

"You think Rainbow Quartz will finally relent?" Black asked.

"I don't know. I'm going to be calling a meeting soon and try and sway her once more, but if worse comes to worse, we may have to fight without her support." The elder Diamond replied.

"And what does Yellow say about this?" Black asked.

Pink could feel her lips tighten. Months ago Black had revealed herself to be more clever than either Pink or Yellow had given her credit for and at first Pink had thought about either playing it off or lying. But after some careful consideration, Pink had told her the truth. She told her about Yellow's presence within her and about her new power that she could only describe as "subjugation". Black seemed skeptical at first but after some consideration decided to believe her. Unfortunately for Pink, she now had two gems who wanted her to exercise her power of subjugation on Rainbow Quartz, her troops and most any other gem who was against them. Once again, Pink had decided to lie, saying Yellow had thought it a liability because they didn't know the scope of the power and that relying on it could prove catastrophic. Black had seemed to buy it for the most part.

Though despite everything else, this was in fact, partly true.

The truth was, since she had explored the power's capabilities so little, she knew very little about it. All the same she had drawn some conclusions. First, it didn't wear off, not ever. The Morganite and Citrine she'd picked up close to a year ago now were as mindlessly obedient as they had ever been, following her orders to the word with neither question nor hesitation. She'd, at some risk, attempted to see if distance was at all a factor when she'd ordered them to the next star system and back. The round trip was relatively short and eventless as her two minions came back to greet her with black stares. She dared not test to see if numbers had anything to do with it but she had had another idea along similar lines. She had seen if the power could spread to organics, testing the power out on simple weeds and flowers, but they seemed entirely unaffected, Eventually her curiosity got the better her and she had tried it out on some sort of hairy little organic almost too small for her single finger to touch without crushing, but not quite.

Nothing there either to her relief.

She realized she was thinking too much about her answer and finally came up with something. "Yellow is also pushing for us to move on, but is still unsure on whether to use my power of not."

"Hmm…" Black replied. "Let's hope this meeting of yours goes well then, sister. Because if Rainbow still won't commit her forces, it could mean the end of us."

* * *

 _Hours later…_

* * *

Pink had decided to meet on some neutral ground to discuss the plans, had they met in either one's territory it would make one feel too comfortable and set the other on edge. In fact, where they sat now had been the same clearing the two had reunited in before, complete with a new plant-table.

Pink was the first to arrive, rather unsurprisingly she had thought. After a time Phenakite showed up greeting Black with a nod and a wave before taking her seat.

The two waited for a time, Phenakite at first sat upright with an impassive glance over to where Rainbow was due to appear, but within minutes her posture suffered, her shoulders fell and she frowned. As the minutes passed Pink's mind began to wander. She began to fear the Rainbow Quartz would not show up at all. While Black and Phenakite had established their repertoire, Pink had decided to turn her attention to the fusion of White's replacement pearl and one of the first gems she'd made herself.

Unfortunately for Pink, that had proven… difficult, to say the least.

Not that it was a problem getting an audience with Rainbow. No, the real problem came with getting her to speak about raising her forces to fight with Pink and Phenakite. Pink was slow to bring it up with her as it was, always afraid of upsetting Rainbow too much. But, even when she decided that the matters were too important to be ignored Rainbow suddenly had to leave for this or that, or would rapidly change the subject.

Yellow would often add her own input, claiming Rainbow was trying to stall them as long as she could however she could. She also reminded her that each time Rainbow succeeded in that simple goal, their chances of fighting against White's forces got just that much worse.

Yellow didn't need to remind her of this, she didn't need to say anything. These were all facts plain as day to Pink. Rainbow Quartz was no fool and she knew exactly what Pink wanted to discuss with her each time she appeared before her. But the fact was, the perma-fusion had not a single intention of putting her people in harm's way and Pink knew that all too well.

These least few months had been especially arduous. Pink had gotten Rainbow to sit down and talk several times, had brought up all the reasons, but the perma-fusion didn't want to hear it. Still, she persisted and over the months while she had made her at least listen to her, still Rainbow refused. All the same, Rainbow's will was eroding, it wasn't exactly the way Pink had hoped her friend would join, but this was a matter of necessity.

But now that Rainbow was absent Pink began to worry. Had she pushed too hard too fast? It certainly hadn't _felt_ like it. But then, constant nagging had a way of making one give up or buckle down.

Pink knew that from experience, though she sincerely hoped for the former rather than the latter.

Her thoughts were interrupted and her hope rose as she saw Rainbow Quartz walking towards them. Though those same hopes fell by quite the margin. The perma-fusion walked stiffly, almost begrudgingly to the table, her eyes downcast. She stepped up to her own seat and interlaced her fingers in front of her, looking up. The Diamond saw all four eyes turn from Phenakite to her, her gaze full of dread and wryness.

Off to a great start then, The Diamond briefly thought.

"Thank you for coming Rainbow. I appreciate it." Pink started.

"You're welcome." She replied, her voice hollow of emotion.

Pink looked to Phenakite and gave her a jerk of her head to say something. "Yeah… thanks for making it. We were beginning to wonder if you'd show."

"Yes." Rainbow said slowly. "Sorry for that, I was just…" she trailed off, then shook her head as if trying to shake the tiredness from herself. Her posture improved and she tried to give a smile, but anyone with working eyes could see her heart wasn't in it. "Anyways, let's get on with it then."

"Right…" Pink said, she took a deep breath, here goes nothing. "We need to start making plans for fighting against the forces of the empire. All of us. Together."

Pink could feel Rainbow shudder from across the table, Phenakite however finally seemed to brightened up, as her frown turned into a smirk and she sat upright once more.

The four-eyed fusion shook her head. "No. No. I will not ask my people to fight a war they can't win." She opened her eyes and looked to Pink, as they began to flare with a stubborn spark. "You have asked me for weeks on end Pink, _weeks_! My answer is the same now as it was the first time you asked. No!"

Phenakite scoffed. "Surprise surprise, she doesn't wanna fight." Phenakite narrowed her gaze over to Rainbow Quartz. "Just leave her and her groupies here, Pink. I doubt they'd know much about fighting anyways after tending to their flowers for fifteen hundred years."

"Better than to waste them by throwing them against impossible odds!" Rainbow shot back.

Pink decided to interceded before things got pointlessly heated. "We are here to work together, not to cast blame and throw the past in each other's faces." She said grabbing their attentions.

Pink turned to Phenakite. "You need to realize that you're asking a lot from these people Phenakite. Asking them to give up their homes to fight nearly unthinkable odds so that other gems might enjoy the same freedoms they do is a lot to ask."

"They owe their freedoms _because_ of you Boss. You shouldn't even have to ask for their help. They _owe_ you." She replied.

Pink had heard that before. "I just showed them they don't have to be afraid to be more than what they were made to do." Pink swept her arms around herself. "This world? I didn't crate it. I didn't create the society here either." She pointed a finger to Rainbow Quartz. " _She_ did all this when I wasn't here to comfort those who couldn't carry on the fight."

Pink then turned over to Rainbow. "But in that same way Rainbow, you need to realize that the gems that followed Phenakite, followed because they wanted to fight for what they believed in. She was there to be a leader and carry on the fight when I was long gone."

Rainbow looked at her with despair in her eyes. "They went off to _die_ , Pink…"

"Perhaps they did. But still, it was their choice to make." Pink said as she got up walked over and put a hand on Rainbow's shoulder. "I know you don't want to see your people suffer, you don't want to see anyone in pain. It's a trait I've always loved about you. But we need all the help we can get, and I know there are gems out there who only gave up because I was gone, and who might now be willing to fight again now that I'm here. So please, let them choose, allow them to fight for themselves and others."

Rainbow sighed in defeat. "I suppose it's not like I really have a choice, do I? If I say 'no' again, you'll just end up trying to convince me otherwise later. Even if you do leave, you and Phenakite will still go off to fight and I'll have to sit here knowing I did nothing when I could have helped you and perhaps even _saved_ you. Or the worst case scenario, they figure out where you've come from, come here and wipe us all out anyways."

"Always with the optimism, this one." Phenakite said, earning her a quick glare form Pink before she turned back to Rainbow Quartz.

The four-eyed fusion was silent for one last time, seemingly gathering her strength for what she was about to say. "I will send out an announcement to everyone. I will ask for _volunteers_ , not conscripts to come with me and serve, with you and Phenakite."

"You're coming with?" The brass-haired fusion asked surprised.

"If my people have to fight they will be lead by their leader, not _you_." She said almost spitting out the last word like venom. "Anyone else who stays behind will be left with one of my lieutenants, depending on who's coming along. Even if that means its just one other gem, I will be there for her."

Pink smiled warmly to her. "Thank you, Rainbow. This means everything to me."

Rainbow reached up, gently removing the hand and giving it a squeeze as she looked into Pink's mismatched eyes. "Just… don't make me regret this." With that she got from her seat and left back the way she came.

Phenakite got from her own seat, coming around to Pink as Black joined them. "You should watch her Boss. Who knows what she might do when the time comes."

"I'm trying to trust her, Phenakite." Pink replied as she watched Rainbow leave.

"I tried that too, look what happened." Phenakite retorted.

"I thought I said we're trying to leave the past behind us." Pink shot back.

"I may not know much, Boss. But I do know this." The perma-fusion said, crossing her arms. "She's shiftier than she looks. And more devious than you'd think."

* * *

Rainbow Quartz soon enough was back in her own room, staring at the console in front of her. She was supposed to be trying out the announcements about Pink's recruitment, but she just couldn't, she didn't yet have enough strength yet to do so. She felt trapped and that her confines were getting smaller all the time.

A millennia of peace and prosperity, broken in an instant.

Had Pink stayed, and Rainbow was sure she could have convinced her to do so. Rainbow could have convinced her to stay a while, and in time she was sure the Diamond would forget about her vendetta and simply be happy to live her life.

Her teeth clenched.

But _no_. That nosey little slag Black Diamond had to break into her room, break into her console and steal one of her ships to fight White Diamond like the idiot she was! Then when things couldn't have possibly gotten worse, she ran into _Phenakite_. Stars, it felt like everything she'd worked so hard to achieve was crumbling before her eyes, that everything she had learned to hold onto so tightly these last centuries were now slipping so easily through her fingers like sand.

But the fact remained. These was no way out of it.

Her brooding was interrupted as her console screen flashed.

"What's in space? Is this…?"

* * *

 **Done, holy hell, did this one take a lot out of me. Like, even more than usual. Sorry it took so long to get back I was enjoying the holidays, then the news years and then I was dragging my feet, but anyways, I'm here now.**

 **Oh! Questions!**

 **Xenon42 – Sorry, can't say just yet.**

 **CelTheVampire – No, well yes and no. See, when I heard that the special was coming out so soon, I decided to wait to see if there would be any new Diamond information to work with, and what I got… Well… I had many ideas on what cannon Pink would be like, as well as anybody. At best, I thought maybe she could be nice and secretly love the Earth like the way I had written her, at worst she would be just like her sisters, cold and ruthless towards organics, a little boring but at least consistent. But writing her as Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka was a bit… unexpected and disappointing. I knew she'd be younger, almost certainly more naïve and not as knowledgeable of the universe as her sisters but from what I saw she was an impertinent, bratty, little bitch. (By the way, If she starts singing "I want it now" I'm done.) Speaking of which, appearance wise, well frankly I've seen fanart far better than the design that they went with, but her size scaling seem way off, even if it was a dream. She seemed little taller than Rose Quartz, which would make her about a quarter size of her sisters. (Yellow and Blue anyways, if the scaling is consistent I'm starting to wonder if that was legitimately White Diamond's head from the trial.) Speaking of the term "sisters" I'm starting to wonder if that is appropriate anymore since she behaved more like Yellow's bratty kid than her younger sister, so perhaps the Diamond are generations, White the first, Yellow and Blue the second and Pink the third. All that being said though, I still feel there's something more, like this is a personality we're not supposed to like as fans and thus feel less bad about Rose having destroyed her because she was a terrible, annoying, little brat. Perhaps she matures or changes later, perhaps she becomes something more… or perhaps I'm giving the crewniverse more credit than they deserve. Lastly, no, this changes nothing about either of my stories and I will not be changing anything already written to better fit the cannon.**


	18. Ch 18: Forgotten Four

**Chapter 18, whelp, I guess it's time for more filler chapters! Oh wait… sorry, I got my sense of story pacing mixed up with the crewniverse's, carry on.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 18: Forgotten Four

 _ **One month later…**_

* * *

Pink felt anticipation, it engulfed her and she felt like it was flowing from her like a river of unease. She was aboard her former flagship, now Phenakite's flagship, sitting alone in the commander's private quarters, her own room when the ship was hers. One hand lay in her lap while the other proper up her head. She was attempting to calm her mind, but couldn't seem to gain the focus she needed to do so.

Maybe it wasn't anticipation at all. Perhaps it was simple fear.

There were many things that could go wrong in the next few hours, she could be making a definitive strike to end a war before it even began, or she could be leading them all to their collective doom.

Pink was so desperate for advice she even turned to Yellow. But, ever since the conversation in the jungle before Rainbow finally gave her consent, she was nowhere in sight. At first she'd been relived, the nagging in her head ceasing for a while was something of a relief. But then she began to think what it might mean. Was Yellow doing this on purpose? Or had something happened to her? Perhaps she had lost her ability to form?

She pushed these questions from her mind, regardless of their answers she needed to focus on the now.

Phenakite called in over the intercom. "Boss, it's time."

Pink took her head from her hand, pressing on the reply button for the intercom in the room. "I'm on my way."

The rogue Diamond entered the bridge to the sight of Phenakite, standing by the hologram projector. Black was standing next to her and it seemed they were speaking when they had turned around to watch Pink enter. The two made space for her as she approached and flanked her on either side.

"We're ready, Boss." Phenakite said. Pink could tell she was trying to keep a brave, confident, look about herself, but she could feel the uncertainty in her. In a way, it was sort of comforting to know she wasn't the only one who was feeling the pressure.

"What have your spies reported, Phenakite?" Pink asked.

"They're going through with the ceremonies." The brass haired gem replied, putting a hand on her hip and pressing a button on the projector. The machine hummed to life and Fiaris, the planet that White was currently residing on, appeared before them, glowing blue. "It's like they don't even care that White Diamond was attacked within the last year."

"White Diamond is no fool." Black commented, shifting her weight onto one foot and crossing her arms. "There's no way she wouldn't have her guard up for a second attack."

"She's baiting us." Pink concluded. "She's acting like nothing is wrong so that we'll try again, and then just as we do, she'll fall into her trap."

Black looked to her sister. "So, what do we do?"

Pink gave her little sister a knowing smile. "Spring the trap."

Phenakite chuckled. "Ah, it really is good to have you back, Boss."

"We should get things underway." Pink advised. "Call out to Rainbow Quartz."

Phenakite gave a scoff, but did as she was told none the less. She stepped up closer to the table and entered a series of commands. The blue see-through planet was shifted to the side and Rainbow Quartz appeared on the table beside it.

"Rainbow, we're ready to begin the operation. Are you forces ready?" Pink asked, crossing her hands behind her back and separating her feet in a militaristic fashion.

Rainbow's face was like stone, her features hard and unmoving. "We are."

"Good then before we begin, let's go over the battle plan one more time." Pink said, nodding to Phenakite.

The perma-fusion nodded and pressed a button, small holographic ships appeared next to the planet, and Rainbow turned her head to look as they all watched. "Our main forces will drop out of hyperspace near the planet, we'll quickly strike to take out an orbital cannons and then begin to make way to the surface for our ground assault." The hologram showed the ships heading towards the planet before there was a zoom in towards the surface. A large sprawling metropolis was before them, surrounded by miles of flat nothingness where the holographic ships landed.

"We'll need to move fast, after our initial assault the Imperials will be quick on our heels." Black noted. "As well as that, they have a shield engulfing the inner hub that may make it impossible to proceed." On her word, a large pale sphere surrounded the innermost part of the city.

"Right." Phenakite took over for her part. "I will lead a strike team to disable their shield and knock out their power. My spies should be in place to give us an advantage on that front. After that we'll push through towards the central hub." One of the ships lit up and an arrow spread forward from it into the city, stopping at one building and causing the sphere to dissipate before moving on towards the center of the city.

"In the meantime, Black and I will be taking on the city's defenses with our own forces, trying to take as much ground as we can before we meet up with Phenakite. After that, Black and I will face White." The elder Diamond said, an arrow going straight from the ships into the cityscape, joining with Phenakite's arrow.

"Meanwhile my forces will be in orbit." Rainbow Quartz said, speaking with a dull and dry voice. "We shall be the ones taking out the cannons and providing support if the enemy begins to overwhelm the ground forces. We may well be facing ship-to-ship opposition depending on the empire's response."

"There's no time to waste then. Everyone knows their roles. I'm counting on all of you." Pink took a moment to look at her sister, then Phenakite, then the hologram. "Let's make it back in one piece and take down the empire for good!"

Black gave a cocky smile. "Of course."

"No doubt! This battle will be ours!" Phenakite said, holding up a hand and forming a fist, as if crushing the empire in its grasp.

Pink noticed Rainbow looking off to the side, as if distracted by something but before she could voice a question she suddenly responded. "When the time comes, I will be ready." With that, her hologram faded.

Pink headed towards the front of the bridge. She turned to the pilot. "Give the signal, and prepare for hyperspace jump!"

The pilot nodded and turned to her controls. "Preparing for jump in three… two… one…"

Everyone onboard could feel the ship bend around them as they lurched forward through space and time. The front view-port became a line of cosmic bodies passing them by at unimaginable speeds.

After ten minutes the lines began to slow and space was brought back into one piece once more. The planet, Fiaris, was one of the major hubs in the empire's reach, a way point where ships could stock up on supplies or more gems before heading out to the frontier worlds. Though from the sky, it looked like most colonies, a grey orb with hints of color where had perhaps once been other forms of life or environment, long since gone. Pink knew there was a small moon, what she presumed had once been an asteroid trapped by the planet's gravity, on the far side of the planet, but as far as she knew there wasn't so much as a survey station on that rock.

In the atmosphere above the planet there was nothing, no traffic of any kind. Only thing that floated was a satellite of some kind, perhaps a communications relay. Their ship destroyed it with a single blast as their other ships dropped out of hyperspace and joined them in the outer atmosphere next to them.

"Begin the attack!" Pink declared, pointing down to the planet.

"Beginning bombardment." Rainbow's monotone came from over the communicator. Pink watched as Rainbow's ships moved over in front of them and began to drop their payload, heavy blasts of plasma that rained down from the sky.

Soon, Rainbow's ships ceased, retreating back to their previous, less vulnerable positions. "Ground teams! Begin your descents!"

"On it." Phenakite called from the side as she directed the pilot to begin descending, dozens of ships following after them in their wake.

The skies lit up as plasma was shot at them from the ground. Pink accessed a zoomed view of the ground. She saw several smoking towers of what were once powerful AA-guns, but at least two more still functioned, fully operational while two others were damaged but still functioning enough to fire with considerably less power. "Evasive action, now!"

The ships scrambled around them, bobbing and weaving around the incoming fire while attempting to fire back. One blot managed to hit Pink's ship square in the nose but the shields took the brunt of the damage, leaving the ship to shake violently, but be otherwise unharmed.

Black looked out the window and saw the smaller transport ships being hit, falling out of the sky like swatted flies. "Pink! We're getting torn apart up here! We need to take them out!"

Pink shouted back to her. "Rainbow took out half of them with her payload! She can't unleash anymore now with us in the way!"

"What about retreating back into the upper atmosphere?!" Black called over the sounds of battle, gems around them trying to scramble and do their best to keep the ship from becoming so much space debris.

"If we back out now we'll lose the only advantage we have in this fight!" Phenakite answered, holding onto railing as the ship shook again. "They're calling for reinforcements right now! We lose this chance and it'll cost us the whole battle!"

Black grimaced as another shot hit them. "If we haven't already!" she said back through grit teeth.

The ground forces managed a rough landing in their target area, just out of line of sight form the elevated turrets. The troops quickly disembarked form the ship and gathered together on the side opposite the city.

Phenakite looked out from behind the ship to the guns. "It's not looking good, Boss. That's a lot of open ground to cover."

The elder Diamond nodded in agreement. "I know, but we need to get through all the same." She looked over to the landed ships, then off far-away where she could see the still smoking remains of the ships that'd been shot out of the sky. She turned to Black. "Gather several small teams and have them each look for survivors at the crash while you marshal the rest of the forces."

Pink then turned to Phenakite. "Have you talked to Rainbow? Can she do another bombing run?"

The perma-fusion shook her head. "No, she says that their heavy guns have over-headed. They need about ten minutes before they can do another shot."

" _Stars_ , of course." Pink sighed, she then put a hand on Phenakite's shoulder. "Gather then anti-shield team and be ready to move quickly."

"What are you gonna do?" The brass haired gem asked.

"I'm going to take out the guns."

Phenakite's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?! One hit from one of those and you'll be _atomized_."

Pink smiled. "Guess I just won't have to get hit, huh?" She said before she jumped clear over the ship and began to run as fast as she could to the towers.

Phenakite jumped after her, landing on top of Pink's ship just in time to see the guns lining their sights towards the ground, on her. "BOSS! DON'T BE AN IDIOT! GET BACK HERE!"

If Pink could have heard that, she might have responded. As it was, he hearing capacity was at maximum as the bolts from the turrets obliterated the ground next to her. As powerful as they were, these guns were designed to take out ships, and large ones at that, lining sights on such a smaller target was a problem for them.

Pink jumped high into the air, summoning her sword in a flash of electricity and impaling it into one of the tower's sides, giving her a hand hold. The tower couldn't aim at her but the other could and did so. Pink quickly hoisted herself up, using the tower as a platform and jumping from it, barely dodging the plasma shot as it burned into the tower. The tower that was shot began to crumble under its own weight, the turret firing randomly into the sky as it crashed to the ground. Pink focused as much energy into her blade as she could and just as the tower was about to make its second shot, she fired her bolt straight into its cannon shaft. The turret made a sputtering sound before it blew up in a spectacular display of destruction.

"Incredible."

Phenakite looked to her side to see Black had jumped up to watch as well. She only gave a small smirk. "Quiet rookie."

The Rogue Diamond landed on her feet and quickly ran towards one of the towers, hiding behind it. She looked out towards the city about a half-mile off, but there was nothing except the glow in the very heart of the city, a shining florescent blue dome. But, there were no soldiers coming, no one coming to investigate their downed towers or to ready for the enemy.

Pink looked to see her own forces approaching, Black arrived first, standing beside her. "What's it look like?" she asked.

"There's no one coming." Pink observed. "No one at all. I can't even sense the presence of anyone else inside the city. Except behind the shield."

"What should we do?" She asked as Phenakite and the others finally arrived, all taking defensive positions behind debris from of the towers or what remained of the towers themselves.

Pink thought on this. Her old powers had been bit by bit getting weaker, her affinity with plants, for one, was her ability to sense the emotions and presence of gems also getting weaker? She looked to her own gems. Perhaps it was. While she could sense the gems currently right next to her, she attempted to reach out to Rainbow Quartz and the others still in the exosphere, but couldn't feel anything. "We've all made it here and we've come too far to stop now." Pink said, turning to Phenakite. "You take down that shield. Black and I will take out forces and secure the rest of the city."

Phenakite nodded. "You got it, Boss." She motioned for her own team to follow her, a group of a dozen gems of different kinds all running towards the nearest building.

Pink and Black led their own forces down main road in front of them. They were soon set upon by laser blasts that rained down from windows in the buildings above as well as the rooftops. The elder Diamond concentrated and made an electrical barrier that blocked the blasts form above while her soldiers and Black took care of those firing at them from the front. "Keep moving!" Pink belted out. "Don't stop pushing!"

* * *

Phenakite and her team were darting down side streets, sticking to the sides to avoid being seen. The shield's generator base was close to the outskirts of the metropolis,. The perma-fusion spotted it in the distance, a smaller square building flanked on both side by turrets. Phenakite turned to her team. "On my count, three… two…" She didn't get to one as she charged and the turrets locked on to fire at her. The brass haired gem gracefully twisted through the air, landing on top of one of the turrets, summoning Flint's broadsword, and putting it through its top, jumping off as it exploded. The other turned to fire at her but was hit in the side by blaster fire and toppled over.

Phenakite watched her team approach and gave a thumbs up before turning her attention to the reinforced door. She rasped it with her knuckles, a dull metal sound echoed back to her. "Pretty thick." She stepped back, held the broadsword with both hand in front of her, took a deep breath and as quick as light, slashed.

For a few seconds the door looked untouched, but soon the middle of it produced a thin slanted cut and fell forward in front of them. Phenakite reached forward, touching the smooth cut, it had been about a half-foot of reinforced metal alloy. "Smooth cut, not bad if I do say so myself." She motioned with a hand for her team to follow after her. "Let's go!"

The inside of the building was sparse, in fact it was only an empty room with an elevator door at the far end. The ceiling height was also a bit small for Phenakite, so she shifted down to two-thirds her size. She approached the door, noticing a console on the wall next to it. "Chrysolite! Front and center!"

A little green-yellow gem with curled hair walked out from the group. "Yes ma'am?" Phenakite pointed to the console. "On it." She said running up to the console and accessing its functions with her own smaller datapad.

Phenakite shifted her stance around uncomfortably. "Mind making it quick? I'm starting to cramp."

"Doing my best." Chrysolite replied. After a few more seconds the doors opened up to a surprisingly spacious elevator. "There we are."

"Good everyone pile in. And be quick about it." The perma-fusion said as they all assembled inside. The metal doors closed and Chrysolite directed it to descend.

The doors opened up and the group piled out to a large warehouse-like room. Phenakite could hear the hum of generators in the distance and looked towards them. They were two large cylinders with faint glows of energy emitting from within. They stepped outside and the perma-fusion immediately returned to her true size, sighing with relief.

"There's the console!" One of the Amethyst said, pointing to it between the two generators.

"Wait, shouldn't there be defenses down here?" The other quartz, a smaller Japer asked.

"Shouldn't there be _anyone_ down here?" The Amethyst asked, looking around.

It was true. Aside from themselves, there was no one down here. No one minding the console, no one standing guard, nothing.

"It could be automated." Chrysolite suggested. "If it was there wouldn't need to be anyone watching the generator unless there was some sort of emergency problem. They also have this place guarded on the outside with turrets, reinforced doors and an authorization pass to get down here. Perhaps they though that was enough. Besides if they had turrets down here, there's a chance that they could hit one of the generators and that would be pretty bad."

"Perhaps." Phenakite said, sounding unconvinced. "The rest of you, be on your guard. Chrysolite and I will go turn off the shield generators."

The group did as they were told, hunkering down and preparing for anything that came. The two approached the console completely unhindered but the whole time Phenakite couldn't shake the bad feeling she was getting being here.

"This might take a few minutes." Chrysolite said, accessing the system.

The feeling of unease didn't fade and as she looked around she began to notice a few things. First off, there were scuffs on the floor, like something had been dragged around, on the walls in places there were scorch marks that had been nearly wiped clean and on the ceiling were holes, small enough that they were nearly unnoticeable unless someone as looking for them.

Then something caught Phenakite's eye, a colorful little thing that easily stood out on the gray floor. She walked over, bending down to pick it up. At first she didn't quite know what it was, but after a moment she knew exactly what it was, she'd seen them on Rainbow's planet. "Is this a… flower petal?" she said outload to herself.

Her mind was suddenly flooding with questions but before she could begin to work out any of them Chrysolite called out. "Got it! The generators are down." The generators next to them began to power off, the light within them fading and their slow hum growing duller before falling silent. The green gem began to walk towards the exit, but stopped as she looked concernedly towards her commander. "Phenakite? Ma'am? Is there something wrong?"

The brass haired gem glanced at her then to the petal, letting it fall from her hand. "No, it's nothing. Let's go."

* * *

Pink and Black were hiding around the final block before the edge of the dome. "Do you think Phenakite got to the generator!" Black asked over the laserfire.

"She'll be fine! We just got to hold out a little longer!" Pink replied before sending a bolt around the corner to towards the incoming fire. "But one thing is strange!"

"What's that?!" Black shouted back.

"Have you seen any other gem?!" Pink asked. "I mean any _enemy_ gems?!"

A rocket soared from the enemy lines and the ground beside them exploded. Pink put up a shield, blocking the blast in their direction. "Kinda hard to tell with all this noise around us!" Black replied. "But you're right, something's off!"

The dome hissed and Pink watched from around the corner as it fizzed it out and faded. "Looks like they got it!" Pink called out.

"Should we wait?!" Black replied.

"No need!" A voice cut in. The two Diamonds watched as Phenakite and her cohorts hid behind the building on the opposite side of the street.

"Phenakite!" Black said happily.

"You miss me?!" The perma-fusion said with her signature smile. "Let's end this!"

"Right!" Pink said as the three led a charge into the city's center. Their momentum carried them through past the laserfire and to the centermost building, a large dome with a spire on its top, the projector of the field.

As the last of the defenses were taken care of Pink and Black finally stood before the two giant doors of the structure. She turned to her troops. "You all, stay out here. This is between my sisters and I and I don't want you getting caught up in it."

The troops' moral seemed to drop at Pink's lack of faith in their abilities but Phenakite quickly stepped in. "We'll make sure you guys aren't interrupted. Right guys? She can count on us, right?!"

The troops seemed caught off guard for a moment before they started cheering for Pink and Black. The elder Diamond smiled and even Black gave a little tell-tale smirk before they opened the doors and entered a long ivory hallway.

The heavy doors closed behind them and for a moment they were engulfed in complete darkness. Then the hallways lit up with a soft glow, lights lighting up one after another down the hallway towards another set at the far end.

The two walked slowly along it. "This is almost certainly a trap." Black said.

Pink nodded. "Yes. But then we knew that was likely the case for the start. We're already in the thick of it, might as well see it through."

The elder Diamond took the lead, pushing the doors open. The room within was a dome, just as it had been on the outside. In the center was none other than White Diamond herself, a pool of light streaming down from above, you've even gained Yellow's power."

"This was just as I found you last time." Black said as they stepped out from the shadows, edging just near the circle of light.

"Yes, well, I wanted to make sure you found me." White replied before turning her visible pupil to Pink. "And it seems you brought someone with you this time."

Pink clenched a single fist, but kept a smooth voice. "White, what's it been? Fifteen hundred years?" She asked, her anger building.

"Longer, or it was until you dropped ceiling on me those months ago." White replied, her voice free from emotion. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again. It seems I underestimated your tenacity." Her eye narrowed. "Perhaps I should have simply destroyed you outright all those years ago." She then glanced to Black. "Then again, had I done that, I might have never met our newest sister."

"You are no sister of mine and even less of one to her." Pink spat. "You broke that bond a long time ago."

White looked back to her. "As I recall, the bond was severed by you, not I." She then closed her visible eye and sighed. "But I didn't arrange this little gettogether to debate over the past." She opened her eye. "And I'm afraid my business isn't with you at all."

Pink took a dangerous step forward. "I don't care what it is that you think you're here to do or not do. I _know_ what I'm here to do and it's to-" She was cut off as her whole form was engulfed in light, freezing her in place.

Black watched as White held an outstretched hand to Pink. "Yes, yes. I'm sure you had many more thinly veiled threats to throw at me. But, it's like I said, Pink. My business is not with you." White shot her hand forward and Pink was pushed back through the doors they'd come in, down the hallway and then out the entrance doors as well.

Black watched a little shocked at how easily White had overpowered her sister. The doors then shut again and a white light surrounded them, encasing the dome. Black turned around to look at White who now focused her gaze square on her. "Now… where did we leave off the last time?"

* * *

Phenakite watched the doors suddenly fly open and Pink fly through them, hitting the ground outside and skidding alone the ground. "Boss!" She ran to her side as the troops gasped in surprise. "Are you alright?"

Pink picked herself off. "I'm fine. Just a little sore." They both heard a loud clang as the front doors shut and sealed themselves. "We've got to get back in there. Black's facing White alone."

"What?!" Phenakite looked towards the sealed door. "She's not ready! We've got to help her!" The two quickly tried to run towards the door, but suddenly there was a shaking, as if the whole planet was quaking.

Suddenly large vines burst from the ground around the dome, covering it with thick vegetation that spread into the sky like a spire.

"We're sorry, my Diamond. But that's a private party and you don't have an invitation." A voice called out.

Pink and Phenakite looked up to see four figures standing on the vegetation. Their backs were to the sun, casing silhouettes to appear.

"When did they-?" Phenakite barely spoke before another large vine shot out and grabbed their troops in a constricting hold.

"We don't need all these extras." Another said before the vine hurled them far away.

"If you want to talk to White Diamond, I'm afraid you'll have to get through us." A third called out.

"Who are you?!" Phenakite demanded, a snarl in her voice and on her features.

"I know who they are." Pink said, clenching her fists. "I didn't think I'd ever see you any of you again, when the rebellion started!"

"When you abandoned us for that precious planet of yours, as well as that special gem you found, our glorious Diamond took pity on us." The second spoke again.

"She trained us and our power, we grew stronger, _much_ stronger." The first said cut in.

"And now she's given us the chance to have our vengeance for your abandonment of us. Our mission…" The third spoke.

"...To destroy you." A fourth finally cut in. The four finally stepped out of the sun's rays and into the shade, revealing four gems of pink complexion and hair of similar heights and build, but of varying hairstyles.

"Are those…?" Phenakite said slowly in realization.

"Yes." Pink confirmed. "The four Rose Quartzes after ours who were the strongest in their entire facet. And it seems they've grown even stronger."

The First stepped forward and raised her hands as the vine followed suite. "Well then, shall we begin?"

* * *

Rainbow watched from her ship as Pink and Phenakite were squaring off with the quartzes. "It's almost time."

* * *

 **Done. Sorry I haven't been able to push these out as much as I want to but well, you know, lazy bastard that I am and all, I'll still get it to you, eventually.**

 **Oh right, and there was a chapter in Change where I said I was recognized by the crewniverse for my writing, you know that was a joke right? I mean if I actually got recognized do you think I'd still be here writing this stuff instead of selling my artistic soul to the corporate hounds? Not a chance.**


	19. Ch 19: Phenakite's Valor

**Chapter 19, man its hard to come up with some clever every time. Oh, well.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 19: Phenakite's Valor

The First Rose Quartz gave a small sneer. "I must admit, I'm sort of disappointed. I'd thought you'd be more… shocked."

Pink met her gaze with fierce eyes. "Why should I be? I knew you four were out there somewhere, I just never thought-"

"That we'd turn against you?" The Third cut in. "After you came and went we were all left in the dark, forgotten by you while you favored _her_."

"What made her so special anyways?" The second joined in. "We were all of more or less of the same ability, the best of our facet, and yet you favored her over all of us."

"Why?" The Fourth finally asked.

"Because she had something that the rest of you lacked." Pink retorted, crossing her arms. "She shared my vision and my ideologies as well as my gifts. None of you did."

"We were gems made for you. Made _by_ you." The First spoke again. "How could you ever believe we wouldn't follow you wherever you led us?"

"I have no doubt you would have followed my orders to the letter." Pink replied. "But followers were not what I needed. I needed friends I could trust with my ideals, my dreams. And not because I told them it's what I wanted, but because that was something they too wanted for themselves."

"Enough! All of you!" The Second barked to her sisters. "You know what we came here to do!" She said as she raised one hand.

The First nodded, as she and the Second raised their fist together. "You're right. The time for talking is over!"

The Fourth finally raised her hand. "Fifteen hundred years over."

* * *

Black could feel vibrations from within the dome. She looked to the now sealed doors with concern.

"It seems they've started out there." White noted sounding almost disinterested. "I'm sure you won't listen, but I'll say so anyways." The youngest Diamond turned back around to see White offering her hand out. "Join me, or surrender yourself willingly."

Black's hands began to emit a smoky black aura. "The fact that you think I'd even consider that is insulting."

White gave a small shrug and a sigh, shaking her head. "Why must gems against me always resist so obstinately against the inevitable?" She then motioned Black forward. "Come, let's get this over with."

The aura on Black's hand expanded then condensed until she was holding her ebony trident and she charged at White. "A frontal assault? I didn't think you'd be that foolish."

But just as Black was coming with arm's reach of White she suddenly stuck the trident down, pole-vaulting over White, landing behind her. Black took the chance to thrust at White's backside but the elder Diamond turned around in a flash, knocking the point to the side with the barest of touches and causing Black to lose her balance for a moment and fall forward. White caught black around one of her arms and shifted her momentum, adding a little of her own as she spun around and let go. The young Diamond was sent flying into the wall where she smacked into it face first.

Black got up, rubbing her forehead where it had made impact and turned around to White who was looking somewhat amused. "That wasn't bad at all, a very well executed maneuver. You've been training, I see." She said as Black brushed her off. "Still, it's going to take more than a few months practice to defeat me."

Black took an aggressive stance, her trident pushed up against her body as she coiled to strike. "We'll see." She said before lunging again.

* * *

Cat's-Eye watched Pink Diamond and her commander battling below against four pink gems. She'd seen their like before, rose quartz soldiers, but she'd never seen ones this powerful, to hold their own against Phenakite and Pink Diamond simultaneously was nothing to scoff at.

More than that, they seemed to be _winning_.

Cat's-Eye looked to one of her subordinate commanders. "Isn't there anything we can do?" She asked a holly blue Agate.

Holly shook her head. "All our dropships have been deployed. We'd have to land the cruiser itself or fire on them from orbit to do anything now."

"And I don't believe we should do either, ma'am." Jasper added on from the side. "Too much chance we'll hit one of them if we fire form orbit and if we land we'll be leaving our space forces wide-"

 _ **BWAAA!**_

The orange gem was interrupted as an alarm suddenly sounded and Cat's-Eye turned to one of her other commanders, a peridot, who was furiously reading the new data being uploaded to her at her console. "What's happened?!" She asked as the alarm died down.

"Incoming enemy ships! They're dropping out of hyperspace near the moon!" She replied as a floating screen appeared before them all, showing a zoomed-in version of what was happening. "They're moving to firing range!"

Cat's-Eye quickly calmed herself, trying taking control of the chaos around her. "All hands! Battle stations! Prepare to engage the enemy!"

* * *

Pink had to admit one thing, these four were good, _very_ good. When she'd met them all those years ago, most of them were barely able to so much as vibrate a blade of grass, now they distinctly reminded Pink of Rose or even herself in her prime.

Perhaps even better than that.

These thoughts ran through her mind as she dodged out of the way of another vine as it came snaking towards her, willing it to miss but only barely managing to be able to do so. She heard distance pops and looked skyward to see laserfire and lights from explosions. "Looks like White's space forces are here!" Pink shouted over to Phenakite.

The perma-fusion cut down an incoming vine and gazed up for but a moment before returning her focus to the battle. "C.E. can handle herself, it's not her I'm worried about!"

Pink struck down a vine herself as she answered. "I told you Rainbow's-!"

Phenakite quickly cut her off, weaving around five vines that attempted to grasp her like a giant hand. "No! Not her! Beedee! She's alone in there against White!"

"We can't help her until we deal with these guys!" Pink said as she attempted to strike at the four only for a wall of vines to smack her back down.

Second sneered. "Oh, worried about her are you?!"

First did the same. "Shouldn't you be more worried about yourselves?!" The four moved in synchronized gestures and the plant life came at them with increased ferocity.

The two backed off, standing back to back as the foliage began to circle and enclose them like a snake. "If I create an opening, do you think you can get in there to help her?" The vine tried to snap close around them but Pink put up a dome of electrified energy that held them back.

Phenakite gave her trademark grin. "I'll need a few seconds to get ready."

The vine circled harder, causing the shield to become smaller. "You have three."

First was smiling down as their foliage smothered the yellow light within. "Looks like we're just about done here."

Second nodded. "Our Diamond is likely already finished as well."

Third seemed disappointed, frowning. "A shame. I was hoping for more of a fight than this."

Fourth spoke, her eyes widening. "No. It's not over yet."

The light that was nearly gone suddenly burst forth, knocking back the plant life as Phenakite shot high into the air, no longer wielding her broadsword, but a twin-sword.

"There she is!" First shouted. "Get her!" The foliage shot up toward the perma-fusion and the four were prepared for whatever way she dodged.

But what she did next, they were not prepared for.

Phenakite took a deep breath then swung her weapon in side-ways motion and as the vines reached her, she was gone.

"What the-?" Second said.

"Where did she-?!" First asked.

"There." Fourth pointed to Phenakite who was now halfway down the vine-tsunami and heading towards the dome.

"How did she-?!" Third asked.

"Forget it! Just get her!" First barked.

The four were about to act to intercept when a bolt of energy came rearing at them. They dodged out of the way to see Pink Diamond off to the side on the ground, her sword smoking. "Hey you four! Don't forget you have me to deal with!"

Second growled, reading their technique again. "Forget the fusion! She'll never get through the barriers!"

First and Third nodded but Fourth seemed unconvinced, her eyes narrowing. "No, we should stop her now."

Phenakite was nearly at the vines in front of the dome now. First watched her go. "What are you talking about? She's going to first have to cut through the vines, then the door! We'll have plenty of time to stop her before-"

Fourth raised a hand and the vines in front of Phenakite reached up for her, but she dodged them easily. "Too late." Fourth said boredly.

"What do you mean? 'Too late'?" First asked watching Phenakite take the same stance, swing her weapon to the side and disappear.

Third looked down in shock. "Where did she go?!"

Fourth grimaced. "She made it inside."

"But how?!" First wondered, before another bolt came searing at her and she dodged it, but only just.

"You four should be more concerned with what's right in front of you!" Pink shouted. "Is this really all you got?!"

Fourth relaxed her stance, turning to her sisters. "Guys, let's show her what we can really do."

The other three nodded and also relaxed themselves, gathering close to one another. Their gems all began to glow and their bodies lost their forms, becoming malleable light. Pink watched as their lights joined as one, the form growing massive. When the light finally died before Pink stood a new fusion of all the rose quartzes.

She was tall, tall enough that she could only stand on the dome with one leg. She had two arms on her right side and two on her left. She wore a giant jumpsuit of varying shades of pink. But perhaps her most noticeable feature was her head.

She had two of them. Her left had her hair pull back into a braid while her right had the wild and shaggy mane of a beast. " **We are Rose Quartz, and now that we've fused, you can't win!** " The heads said simultaneously.

Pink looked at the new fusion before her but only frowned. "You four have gained great power these last fifteen hundred years, you're right to be proud of your accomplishments." She narrowed her eyes. "Even so, you can't win against me, not now, not ever."

" **Look at us! We're way bigger than you now!** " The right said almost laughingly. " **What chance do you possibly have?!** " The left asked.

"You have size, and that is all." Pink replied flatly.

The two heads gritted their teeth in rage, balling their fists. " **We'll show you!** " They said in unison.

* * *

Black breathed heavily, nearly dropping her trident, White just watched her calmly, her hands having now returned to their previous position behind her back.

"Well, there's certainly been a marked improvement, that much is certain." White said looking to the younger Diamond. "Your attacks are far more efficient than last time, given more rigorous training over a longer period or time, you could grow even more powerful."

Black Diamond gave a coy smile and White raised a brow. "What have you to be smiling about?"

"I still have one more thing in my arsenal." Black said. "It was something I didn't want to use, but you've left me with no other choice."

White looked mildly curious. "Oh? Why not?"

"I wanted to beat you as a warrior. Not rely on tricks and gimmicks." Black explained.

"And what prey tell is this gimmick of yours?" White asked.

Black stood up to her full height, gave a grin and then blanched.

White Diamond in her thousands of years had seen a great many things, so it was not often she was surprised, but what Black did next managed to do just that.

The young Diamond suddenly lurched over, holding her stomach and fell to her knees. At first White thought it was some sort of plot to draw her closer, but then Black's cheeks slowly began to balloon, wider and more bulbous they grew. White was about to open her mouth to voice a question when black liquid suddenly burst forth from mouth like a river of ebony. The dark substance poured forth until Black had created a small puddle of it.

White's face betrayed her surprise, her calm broken for the first time in years. But before White could speak the liquid rose, seeming to give a sentience of its own. It raced towards White and grasped her left hand, covering it with black. The elder Diamond moved to get rid of it with her other hand only for its too to be encased. White them took a single step forward before her feet were coated in the liquid, stopping her in her tracks.

White looked at her covered limbs before turning to Black who stood up, wiping her mouth. "I hate doing that."

"So, this is the trick, huh?" White asked. "The 'Black Water'?"

Black nodded. "Yes. The same substance that encased you thousands of years ago."

"Then you should know that it won't be enough." White said icily.

Black picked up her trident. "It doesn't have to be, one clean shot on your physical form, and this'll all be over." The young Diamond motioned with her hand and White's legs and hands were forced apart. "I win." She said as she thrust forward.

Just as Black's trident was about to pierce, White's hand shot down and grasped it. Black was shocked, looking up to the narrowed gaze of White Diamond. "You little fool." A blinding aura suddenly engulfed White and Black was blown back, the black water splattering against the white barriers of the wall and fizzling away like rain on a hot day. "I can't believe you thought for even a second that would work."

Black shakily stood to her feet. She was injured and bruised, her physical form wouldn't last much longer. White pointed a finger forward. "Forget about trying to capture you unharmed. I'll just destroy your physical form and take you back as a gem."

White got ready to fire but felt a sudden weight on her arm that forced the beam down, causing the elder Diamond to fire on the ground and whip up debris. As the smoke cleared White saw Phenakite over at Black Diamonds side, inspecting her. White turned to look at the wall, the barriers were still in place, not disrupted or damaged in the least.

Black looked to Phenakite. "Phen…akite." She said weakly.

The perma-fusion shushed her. "Easy there. You've suffered some real damage, you're close to losing your form."

Black grasped her jumpsuit. "You… you have to escape… she's… too much!" Black said, her strength growing weaker.

Phenakite took her hand. "Just relax. I'll take it from here." Phenakite then propped her against one of the pillars in the room and turned to White, a fierce expression on her face.

White gave a somewhat bemused expression. "Tell me, 'Phenakite' was it? How did you get in here? Past my quartzes?"

Phenakite raised her twin blade, let's see if you can figure it out. She said before charging with her blade. White prepared for her but Phenakite swung to the side and she was gone. If it was something for White to be surprised, than being surprise more than one time in a single day was something of a miracle, but she was just that.

The elder Diamond managed to turn around just in time to block a thrust at her chest and moved to strike with a blade of light. Phenakite dodged back and charged again, once more swinging her blade to the side and disappearing again. This time, White was ready, blocking a downward strike from above.

White blinked once slowly as Phenakite smirked. "Impressive. I didn't think you'd catch on so quickly." The perma-fusion said.

The elder Diamond gave a glare to her. "Do you seek to insult me? I know you gave me time to counter each of your strikes."

She shrugged. "What can I say? I like for my fights to be enjoyable."

White Diamond gave a derisive snort. "I don't know what's worse, your supreme arrogance or your unmatched stupidity. You should have taken what chance you could when you could."

"What makes you think I won't have that same chance again?" The perma-fusion asked.

"Because I get what you're doing now. How you're disappearing, how you got through my barrier." White said. "You're traveling through space."

Phenakite nodded. "You got it." She held up her sword. "See, I can rip holes in space-time and travel through them. I don't do it often though because it takes a lot out of me with continued use and its usually unneeded." She took a battle stance. "But against you? I'm pulling out all the stops."

White simply crossed her arm disapprovingly. "A showoff, are you?" Her eyes flared dangerously. "That's going to get you shattered with me."

Phenakite sneered. "What can I say? Shaming a Diamond, and White Diamond of all things, it was too good a chance to pass up."

White Diamond's frown softened, her expression becoming blank. "You seek to anger me, throw me off balance to try and fight me. But it won't work. So stop wasting my time and take this seriously."

Phenakite's smile faded and her expression became serious. "You want me to take this seriously? Alright then." She placed her hand on one of her gams and two more swords popped out, they were sharp pointed sword and dug into the ground. "I haven't really been able to use this on anyone before, so forgive me if I start out a little slow."

"Fighting me with two blades instead of a double-blade?" White asked.

"Not quite." Phenakite said, jumping into the air. Black watched as Phenakite's feet, turned into hands and she landed atop her swords, the swords gave way just a bit , bending slightly under her weight. "I'm using a double-sword _and_ two swords."

White looked skeptically at the sight before her. "You must be joking, coming at me with that ridiculous pose."

"Well, I suppose we'll see just how ridiculous it is? Won't we?" Phenakite replied, taking her new, somewhat awkward, stance.

* * *

Pink jumped out of the way as a giant fist came down, barely missing her. Then one of the giant's other hands controlled the vines, Pink willed them away but another fist smashed itself into her side and sent Pink flying.

The two heads smiled wide, their teeth showing. " **Look that that! We don't even need to use weapons! We can just smash her to pieces!** "

The Diamond picked herself up, looking from the giant to the dome. Phenakite wouldn't be able to hold off White for long, and this fight was getting rather tiresome as it was. Another fist came at her and Pink evaded it, jumping onto her leg.

The fusion made to slap her down like a crawling insect but was having trouble pinning her down as Pink took her sword and ran it up along the giant's thigh, earning a howl from her. But Pink wasn't an idiot it would take more than a sword that might as well have been the size of a pin compared to the giant to take her down.

The sky above was beginning to grow darker as clouds began to move in.

The giant continued, in vain, to capture the slippery little diamond but was growling with frustration. Pink had made it to the giant's back when she suddenly noticed that the ground below her was getting much farther away. A sudden realization ran through her mind just a second too late as she was squashed underneath. The impact made a crater and caused the far off building to shake violently. The dome however seemed perfectly intact.

The giant fusion rolled off to see Pink's squashed form and reached down for her with one hand. " **HA! Squashed like a puny organic! How do you like that?!** " Pink seemed dazed and the giant impatiently shook her, attempting to rouse her from her stunned state. " **Hey pay attention!** " the left head said. " **We're trying to intimidate you here!** "

Pink freed one of her pinned hands and shook her head. "Sorry about that. I wasn't dazed you see, I was just trying to concentrate."

The two heads looked to one another than to her. " **Concentrate?! On what?! How to lose faster?!** " Their unison voice sounded.

"No, see… I was just getting ready to defeat you." Pink said with a smile.

The two heads laughed. " **Defeat us?!** " the right asked with tears in her eyes. " **How?** " asked the left.

Pink merely pointed up and the two heads follow the finger to the cloud where massive clouds had formed. "Yeah, the space battle was pretty handy actually. All that sound from above just made it seem like a particularly intense fight, so you guys never suspected a thing."

The two heads glared down on her. " **Why you-!** " Before another words was uttered Pink raised one hand and she could feel the massive buildup above now at her very fingertips. She then swiftly brought her hand down and the very wrath of the skies themselves were unleased, as a massive bolt of lightning struck through the fusion to the ground. The sound was beyond deafening, but worth it all as the giant's eyes rolled back in their heads and it fell to its knees. With a massive "poof" the giant was no more four gems falling to the ground, each with a slight crack in them.

Pink landed on her feet and looked around, she could still feel small piece of the energy dancing on the ground and the foliage-covered dome now was only covered with ashen remains of what had once been. Even the doors to the main entrance hall were open, damaged beyond repair as their metal bent forwards and back in ways it shouldn't have been able to.

Pink hurried past them and into the hall. " _Just hold on a few more seconds guys!_ " she thought as she ran.

* * *

Phenakite jumped around erratically, from floor to ceiling to even off the barrier-laden walls. Black watched disbelievingly at what she was seeing but White's facial features had hardened with concentration as she prepared for the next series of strikes.

The eldest Diamond had to admit, this gem was giving her more of a workout than she expected. She'd already managed to land a few gracing blow, if White wasn't wary she'd end up regretting it, she knew that for sure.

White waited for it, a slight pause in Phenakite's movements. " _Here she comes._ " White thought as she whipped around, a blade scratching her back but doing little else. Bit instead of backing off as was usual for the pattern of attack there was a follow up. The hand-leg that had been holding the thrusting sword let go of its weapon and instead grabbed for White's arm. It managed to do so and White felt herself being pulled forward and the other piercing blade coming at her from the side. The Diamond grabbed it with her free hand but felt a sudden release in pressure as this blade too was let go. She felt another hand on her other arm and then a sudden weightlessness as she was lifted form the ground.

Phenakite bent over, using her momentum to propel White up into the ceiling, the Diamond smack ed it and began to fall, the perma-fusion already jumping to slash her with the twin-blade.

Unfortunately for her, White had already recovered and saw the attack coming a mile away. White evaded the blade's tip and her arms interlocked with Phenakite's. The Diamond used the falling momentum and smacked her into the ground hard.

But White wasn't done.

She pointed two fingers towards the fusion and beams of light shot out. Phenakite cried out as they impaled her arms. White slowly lifted her until they were face to face. "You have impressive techniques, little fusion. And you fought well. But this is where our fight comes to a close."

Phenakite smiled weakly. "I… I can't believe it. All that hard work, all that training, only to be bested by someone _made_ with their gifts instead of earning them."

White frowned disapprovingly. "Come now, it's disgraceful for a warrior to talk about fairness in a fight."

Phenakite gave something half-way between a laugh and a cough. "Yeah, I… guess you're right… I'm just about done… here…"

White extended her free hand and a blade of light appeared in it's palm. "I will give you an end, as a warrior of your prowess deserves."

Phenakite just continued to smirk weakly and said nothing. White positioned the blade at her midsection and the perma-fusion's eyes went wide.

"NOOOO!"

White turned to the doorway, her barrier along the walls now broken as Pink appeared, her blade glowing with electricity.

* * *

Rainbow watched the battle unfolding both on the ground and as Cat's-Eye's ships took the first wave of the imperial fleet. She turned to her second in command. "Get ready to fire our weapons, it's time."

The second in command, a Thunder-Egg agate nodded grimly. "Yes, Rainbow Quartz."

Rainbow's ship's hummed as the laser batteries warmed up. "Ready…."

"Aim!" Agate ordered.

Rainbow's mouth uttered a single word her expression like stone. "Fire."

* * *

 **Done. Review.**

 **Also, LittleSnakeTail, do as you like, not like I can really stop you.**

 **See ya.**


	20. Ch 20: The Superior

**Chapter 20, serendipitous, why'd I say that? I dunno.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 20: The Superior

Ruby sighed, kicking up the dirt in front of her. Why did she need to be the one to stay behind? She was missing out on everything. All the others had gone off to fight and where was she? Stuck guarding empty dropships while all the real fighting took place far away. Well she wasn't totally alone at least, some of the gems who were recovered had been stored inside, though none of them had managed to reform yet. Maybe if they did they could at least keep her company out here.

 _ **KRAAA-KAA-BOOOOM**_

Ruby practically felt the planet shake as her head jerked back towards the city to see some sort of pink giant falling over. Was that an enemy? Had it been defeated? Maybe it wasn't so bad that she was way out here after all if she would have had to fight that thing. But it would sure be nice if her ears stopped ringing now.

These were her last thoughts before she, the ships and everything around the little ruby were bombed into nothingness.

* * *

Pink gazed on in horror as White looked to her calmly, still holding up Phenakite and her blade still in the perma-fusion's gut. Only when Phenakite gasped in pain did White return her attention to the task at hand, removing the blade looking on with some faint interest.

"Quite the resilient little thing, aren't you?" White asked her tone was its usual monotone but there were hints of respect in its inflection. She then dismissed her blade and tossed Phenakite to the side, turning her full attention to Pink.

"I see you handled the Quartzes." White noted, she gave just the slightest of inclinations of her head, indicating her curiosity. 'Tell me, was it hard to fight against them?"

Pink said nothing, only fixing her with a glare fit to kill.

White just sighed and shook her head. "It doesn't matter, I suppose." She gave a wave of her hand and the light wall Pink had only just destroyed came back in full force. "But since you're so eager to fight me, let's do it somewhere more… spacious." She snapped her fingers and the building around them was blown away, the wall lining its inside expanding at speeds so quick the one could almost believe they'd been teleported to an entirely different location on the outside rather than in.

While the two of the most powerful beings to ever exist stared one another down, Black slowly crawled on her arms and knees over to Phenakite, trying to make sure her friend was alright.

Phenakite writhed on the ground quietly clutching her stomach, her physical form flickering, she was in bad shape. Black got close, allowing them to communicate. "Are you okay?"

The perma-fusion almost laughed, but she was in too much pain to do so. Instead she gave a sort of cough-chuckle as she answered. "No… no… I'm not… not doing too good, Beedee." She managed to lay on her side, propping herself up with one arm while holding her midsection with the other, looking to Black Diamond.

"Are your gems alright?"

Phenakite glanced at them quickly. "They're fine, but I can't hold on much longer. I'm gonna rip apart into Flint and Pearl before long. One or both might even lose their physical form after that."

Black suddenly felt herself being pushed away and then saw light surrounding her, incasing her in a bubble of white. She looked to Phenakite who was also suspended in one such bubble, then over to White, her hand now held up as a fist.

The eldest Diamond lowered her arm and watched Pink grit her teeth. "Oh, don't make such a face sister. It's for their own good. You wouldn't want them caught up in our fight, would you?"

Pink could feel anger rising in her. "Will you… just kindly… SHUT UP?!" She shouted. "Even now! Even as your enemy you're still looking down your nose at me!" She pointed an accusing finger at White Diamond. "I am the greatest threat you've ever faced. Yet, you're still treating me like a freshly popped gem who knows nothing!"

White's passive face for once truly broke as they shifted to one of annoyance. "You _do_ know nothing, Pink Diamond." She said flatly, as if confirming that space lacked air. "You and Blue and Yellow, all three of you thought you knew what was best, what was right for everyone in the empire. Yellow wanted soldiers, fodder she could send off time and again into the unknown to expand what she thought of as her own power. Blue wanted servants, gems who would know and respect the hierarchy she created. And you, most naïvely of all, wanted everyone to be friends. In acting independently from one another all three of you began to sow the seeds of discord in our entire empire. When it was only Blue and Yellow's ideas mingling the clash wasn't as bad, in fact the two ideas could synergize with one another. But yours is the one that finally broke the veneer holding it all together. And look where we are now."

"On the brink of revolution and change?" Pink offered almost snidely as she lowered her arm.

"On the cusp of our empire totally collapsing." White retorted, crossing her arms. "Your ideas are ripping apart the tapestry of everything I've done to try and keep our kingdom together. And look already what your vaunted "freedom" has cost already. Our sisters, gone, dozens of worlds, gone, countless gems who you inspired to follow you, gone." White made a face of curiosity. "I really have to wonder, was it everything you envisioned Pink? Was it worth it?"

Pink's face fell as all the things that'd her campaign flooded back to her, hitting her like a tidal wave. "No. This isn't what I wanted at all." She said, shaking her head, as her eyes became downcast. "I wanted to take things slow, I wanted to work things out peacefully and begin to change our empire little by little, improving the lives of all." Her fist clenched. "But then Blue and Yellow swatted my ideas down with little more than a glance, thinking I was being foolish at best and losing my mind at worst." She raised her head, her eyes narrowing. "So, they forced me to take more direct action, for the sake of all gems in the empire."

"Quite the benevolent being, aren't you?" White sighed as she uncrossed her arms. "But enough of that. We're past the time for discourse." She said as she summoned a blade of light and took a fencing stance.

Pink raised her sword. "Let's end this." She said as she charged at White.

* * *

Cat's Eye was watching the battle unfold before her with baited breath. They were holding their own, but the enemy had more ships and were slowly pushing them back. Still once Rainbow arrived with her reinforcements they should be-

"Commander!" One of the rubies said, breaking C.E.'s train of thought.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Our ground force's ships ma'am! They've been destroyed!"

"What?!" The quartz's mind raced. How did the enemy have the position to do that? To fire accurately at such an angle would be nearly impossible. In fact, they'd have to be right where-

Her thoughts were interrupted again as the ship suddenly shook violently, causing Cat's Eye to lose her balance and fall to one knee while other gems held on or were knocked over onto their backs. "What was that?"

"Our engines, ma'am!" A chrysolite said from her chair as she furiously accessed her console to assess the damage. "They've taken some serious damage! We've been hit from behind!"

"Did you say behind?!" Cat's Eye's eyes widened with realization. "No… she wouldn't…"

"Our ships are being torn apart!" The chrysolite said still trying to access and take care of the damage. "Multiple system failures! Weapons offline! Shields! Offline!"

"Who fired on us?! Give me a visual now!" The quartz demanded. In response a screen popped to life, showing Rainbow Quartz's flagship, their weapons charging with a green glow.

* * *

"Fire."

Her ship gave one last good shot to Pink's flagship and the vessel exploded in a burst of green plasma and electricity. Rainbow looked to her peridot, who was assessing the data being collected. "Well?"

"The ship… the flagship is gone, commander." The peridot answered quietly. "Remaining… remaining enemy vessels are quickly being routed and neutralized."

Rainbow gave a tired sigh, wiping her eyes. "Open a channel to our allies."

"Yes ma'am."

Rainbow Quartz walked over to her holographic projector as it lit up and a small blue quartz with long very light blue hair appeared before her. "Commander Amethyst, everything went according to plan?" She asked.

The purple gem gave a solemn nod. "They're gone, all that we have to do now is wait for White Diamond's call."

* * *

Black and Phenakite watched as Pink and White dueled. Pink's blows were undoubtedly powerful, they could practically hear a thunderclap with each swing that connected but White was blocking every one with efficiency and grace. Each time White attacked Pink would get a scratch or thin slice but never dodge the attack completely.

Finally, the broke apart and Pink switched up tactics, shooting out bolts from her sword tip at White. But the elder Diamond's hand glowed with light and she slapped the bolts away, sending them off in random directions.

"Come now, Pink. I know that's not the best you can do." White said as she extended a hand and set out bolts of light back at Pink.

The younger Diamond summoned her shield, for the first time in ages and it blocked them without so much as a scratch. "When you start taking this seriously so will I."

Suddenly the sky above them lit up and all turned to see its source. Far out in space they saw as Pink's flagship lit up before exploding into pieces.

Pink, Black, and Phenakite all watched with mouths agape, but White gave a sort of thin smile before returning her attention to Pink. "It seems you space forces have fallen, Pink." She returned to her stance. "What will you do now?"

Pink felt energy welling up within, and her whole body glowed with yellow energy. White watched as Pink reeled on her and prepared for a blow to her left side, but when the blow came it was not her sword, but her shield that was coming in and before White could properly react Pink's left hand came slashing down at her face and white's mask was cleaved into two.

The elder Diamond reeled at the sudden attack, but Pink wasn't done. She quickly followed up with blow after blow. White, now disoriented and her stance broken tried to create some distance by backing off but Pink kept the pressure on, her actions now fueled by a focused rage.

But White finally adjusted herself and caught Pink in a sphere of light. The younger Diamond broke out of the sphere with two swift slashes of her blade and landed on her feet. The two sisters eyed one another, waiting for the other to make a move.

"That scar suits you, White, as does the mask." Pink said with a sneer. "Trying to hide what's broken under a false image of whole."

White reached down and picked up a piece of her mask before crushing it in her palm. "You always were too cleaver for your own good, Pink."

White then closed the distance with Pink so fast the younger Diamond barely had time to put up her shield before she was suddenly pushed back by a mighty blow from the light sword. White followed up as she raised a finger and a thin light shot from it, Pink moved to block it but the light took sharp turns around her shield and pierced her in the arm.

The light then turned into a whip and Pink found herself being pulled up and over before being slammed down on the ground. As White moved to slam her some more, Pink shot out another bolt and White was forced to dispel the whip to deflect the blast, flinging Pink back out into the city.

Pink hit one of the building's rooftops, skidding along it until she caught herself on its opposite edge and pulled herself up. She looked out and saw White in the distance. She then saw an orb of light appear next to her, then another and another until there were nearly two dozen of them. "Oh no." Pinkj said aloud as she saw White gesture forward and the orbs flew towards her.

Pink dismissed her shield, holding her sword with two hands and swinging it as hard as she could creating waves of electricity that shot out towards White and her orbs.

Some of the orbs were wiped out by the waves but other dodged out of the way, still homing in on Pink. The younger Diamond vaulted over to another building but still the orbs came, increasing with speed. Pink aptly destroyed one after another as she ran from building to building but one was too fast, catching her on the leg and detonating, sending Pink hurtling down to the streets below.

Pink began to pick herself up but felt a boot kick in her side that sent her crashing into the wall of another building. She weakly got up once again and saw White towering over her, the two bubbles of Phenakite and Black beside her and her palm outstretched and glowing. "How… how can there be such a difference… between us?" She breathed weakly.

"You think because we are both Diamonds that we are equal, Pink. But you are wrong." Her eldest sister replied. "I am old. I am powerful. And like a star I have only grown with age, but unlike one, my light will _never_ dim, my powers will _never_ diminish." The palm glowed brighter. "And you will _never_ defeat me."

The ray of light shot out and Pink braced herself for oblivion, but it never came, White's attack was suddenly raining down on her from above and Phenakite stuff on her feet, her double-blade glowing. "Good… didn't think… I'd make it… in…" Phenakite said before falling to her knees, her blade falling from her grip and disappearing into light.

"Phenakite you saved me." Pink said as she got up and huddled closer to her.

White was in a crater, facedown in front of them. "You think that'll stop her?" Phenakite asked.

As if in response the ground around them felt like it was shaking ad a great light came form the crater, so much so that Pink and Phenakite had to shield their eyes form its intensity. Pink watched as her sister rose with utter silence, an aura of light surrounding her and her eyes going a glowing milky white.

Pink moved to attack but White slapped her away with a flick of her wrist, though Pink felt it powerful enough to be worth three of the kicks she'd felt earlier as she was sent skidding down the road.

Phenakite watched as this happened and tried to stand before the Diamond before her. But as quick as light White Diamond reached down and picked up the perma-fusion by her throat, holding her in the air.

" **You have harmed me. Harmed me in such a way that I have not ever been before. It is quite the achievement, little gem.** " She spoke, her voice now dark and almost echo-like. " **One that you will not accomplish twice.** " She began to squeeze and Phenakite's form started to flicker violently as she grasped fruitlessly at White's iron-like fingers.

"Stop! Stop it this now!" Came a voice form behind. White turned to see Black Diamond on her knees, in a prostrated position. "Spare them! I beg you!"

" **Why should I?** " White asked, as her grip ceased tightening but did not relax either. " **What are you going to do to stop me?** "

"I'll do anything! Just please stop! She's my friend!" Tears began to freely steam from her eyes as she lowered her head. "Please…"

White paused, giving some thought before she let go and Phenakite fell in a slump to the floor. White addressed her fully now. " **In exchange for their lives, you will serve me, Black Diamond. You will do as I say when I say it and do it unquestioningly.** "

Black didn't raise her head. "I will."

The aura from White faded and her eyes returned to normal. "Good." She then turned around and fired a shot into Phenakite, finally finishing her off and causing her physical form to give out as she poofed into her gemstones.

Black quickly sat up. "What are you doing?!" she asked. "You said you wouldn't-"

"I would spare their lives, yes." White agreed. "And I have. Their gemstones are still intact. But I cannot have them roaming free either." She bent down and bubbled the two gems. "So, they will remain in this inert state, unharmed." She then narrowed her eyes. "As long as you do as I say."

Black gritted her teeth but nodded anyways. "I will."

"Good." White then pointed a finger at her. "I'm afraid though, you will also need to remain inert for a little while." Before black could object, White sent another beam of energy through Black and the youngest Diamond's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak. But before she could, she poofed, her gem landing on the street.

Pink watched as White bend down and bubbled her gem as well before turning at last to her. Before she could co much as make a move to defend herself a third beam caught her and she poofed out of existence.

* * *

 _Some time later…_

* * *

Pink felt herself forming once more, like before it felt like she was reaching out to herself and pulling herself back together, a strange feeling to say the least. She then opened her eyes and found herself kneeling on something yellow. At first, she didn't know what it was but as her eyes focused she realized it was a field of energy and that she wasn't standing on it, it was just outside her reach as a glass floor separated her form it.

She got her bearings and quickly stood up but as she tried to stand to her full height she hit hear head on something form above. She saw it was a glass ceiling and she looked around some more until she realized she was inside a cuboidal glass prison surrounded by a yellow containments field.

"Finally awake then? Good." A voice called out and Pink's eyes shot around to focus on her eldest sister who stood along with the rose quartzes as well as the floating, bubbled gems of Pearl, Flint, and Black Diamond.

"White!" Pink tired to summon her weapons but couldn't. She turned again and again making gestures to no avail.

"Don't bother with trying to summon your weapons." White said as if reading her mind. "That field that's surrounding the little prison I had made for you? It's also partially running through the glass prison. A special type of energy that's made specifically to disrupt you enough to summon your weapon but keep your form."

She was right. Pink realized. She could feel herself being disrupted on a low-grade scale. Not enough to destroy her physical form but it was too distracting to summon a weapon with. She then moved to beat at the glass but as she made contact with the walls, they impact seemed to almost bounce off them and hit her back with a small sudden burst of energy. "What? What the-?"

"Don't think you can get out of there with brute force either." White chided. "The walls of that prison are made to absorb and redirect kinetic energy back to its source.

Pink stopped struggling and finally just fixed her glare on White. "This thing won't hold me forever White. I escaped from one of your prisons once, and I will do it again."

"I know." White replied a matter-o-factly. "That's why I'm having some guards watch over you this time."

Pink looked over to the quartz who all seemed to have looks of discontent or anger of varying degrees on their faces. "Who? My Own Rose Quartzes?"

White looked to them for a moment then gazed back to Pink. "Yes. They are your guards. Would you like to meet the warden?"

Pink gave a look of confusion as White stepped to the side and gave a look of pure astonishment as Rainbow Quartz stepped out form the shadows, her features like steel.

"Rainbow…?" What…?" Pink was at a loss for words, trying to find some as the perma-fusion turned to look at White.

"You will honor our deal, right?" Rainbow asked her.

"This entire system is yours, Rainbow Quartz." White said, as if reminding them both. "You and your little colony here have total autonomy here to do as you please."

"In exchange, we will never venture outside of the system. And we will keep her locked up here, forever." Rainbow said pointing to Pink.

The Rogue Diamond felt her fury building like never before. "You TRAITOR!" Pink said slamming against the walls again. The wall retaliated once more but this time Pink resisted them enough to not move. "I TRUSTED YOU! I STOOD UP FOR YOU! I BELIEVED IN YOU! AND YOU SELL ME OUT TO HER?!

"Don't you speak to me of betrayal!" Rainbow replied fiercely. "I welcomed you back with open arms to my planet! To my people! And how to you repay me?! Trying to drag me and my followers back into a war we never wanted to fight! You and that warmonger Phenakite!" She said pointing to the two gems at White's side. "I'm sick of fighting! All my people are! That's why we're here! That's why we stayed here for so long!"

Pink felt like she was going to explode. "FREEDOM YOU WOULN'T HAVE TO BEGIN WITH IF NOT FOR ME! I FOUGHT FOR YOU! ALL OF YOU! AND THIS IS THE THANKS I GET WHEN I ASK YOU TO FIGHT FOR ME IN RETURN?!"

Rainbow looked like she was about to shout again but seemed to decide against it, her voice now calm. "I did what I knew was best for me and my people. That's all I can do now. Goodbye Pink Diamond." With that she turned and walked off.

White and the quartzes watched her leave and then White looked to her sister once last time. "Goodbye dear sister. I know we've had this conversation before, but this _will be_ the last time." She then also turned and walked off leaving Pink with her quartzes.

Pink looked at each one of them in turn, feeling her anger swelling. "I will get out of here. I swear it." She seethed. "And when I do. You will all regret me not having shattered you all when we last fought."

"Promises, promises." The first sneered.

"You're under our rule now." The third added.

"And we have so much… catching up to do." The fourth added.

* * *

White returned to her ship, meeting with Amethyst. "Are you done then, White?"

"Yes Amethyst. I believe that our business here is concluded." White confirmed. "Let's go home."

"I'll tell the pilot to prepare for takeoff." The quartz said, though just before leaving she stopped, looking to White's side as she saw the floating gems, one in particular caught her interest. "By the way White, what's that?" She asked pointing to the encased black gem.

White glanced to the gem, reaching out and grasping and pulling it towards her then bending down so the quartz could see better.

"This, my friend, is our future."

* * *

 **Done. Review please and thank you.**

 **Pac – Look if Black seems a little weak, well there are a couple reasons for it. First, Black is still young, and even if she could be powerful one day, she hasn't fully realized her potential. Second, White to me, is like a force of nature, a cosmic entity, a goddess, and to take down a goddess if no simple task even if Black has a type advantage on White. Even when Black was designed to specifically counter White, Peridot could only use data she has to construct White, but White at full power? I'm not sure that's something that's truly ever been seen.**

 **Also heads up, taking a bit of a hiatus before I wrap this story up in a couple chapters so see ya!**


	21. Ch 21: Waiting's End

**Chapter 21, I'm back. A pleasure to see you all once more.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 21: Waiting's End

 _Eight hundred forty-four years later…_

* * *

Amethyst sighed as she took the elevator up the spire, things hadn't been easy, not for a long time. Waves of Pink Diamond's rebellion still rippled across the Empire like droplets on a calm lake. But in the last few decades the ripples had grown smaller and fewer and at last it seemed peace had been restored.

The little quartz sometimes wondered if those gems that had rebelled would have still done so if they had known White Diamond like she did. The she wasn't an infallible pillar of absolute authority, but simply a gem who was trying to carry out her purpose the best way she could.

But Amethyst knew that would never happen. White would see it as too much of a risk to try and let her guard down, not after all that'd already happened. After that last attack by Pink, White had canceled the tour of the colonies she'd been planning. For nearly two hundred after she had systematically wiped out any remnants that remained of Pink's rebellion.

Frankly, it had been the longest, most miserable experience of Amethyst's existence.

The Diamond had completely shut her out, only dolling out orders to her when absolutely necessary. But these days, White finally seemed to be… well, not "relaxing" per se but as close as the old gem usually got to something akin to it.

In the long years since, only echoes and rumors remained of what had once been, and, in time, the calm had taken over once more.

Amethyst's snapped back to reality as she reached the throne room floor. She approached the door and gazed upon its new sigil, a single large white diamond against a black circle. She reached to push the door open, but it did so without her ever having touched it as it swung inwards.

The little quartz took a few steps inside and the doors quietly shut behind her. She looked forward, across the room, to none other than White Diamond herself sitting upon her throne, now redesigned so it sat entirely opposite the entrance doors.

Amethyst walked forward, giving sideways glances to where the other thrones used to reside only to see vacant spaces with nary a trace left behind that they'd ever been there at all.

Usually White would take a few moments to momentarily pause her duties to address whomever had come to see her, but the elder gem watched Amethyst with a quiet contemplative look.

"Hello, White." Amethyst said, with a weak smile and chuckle.

The Diamond didn't so much as raise an eyebrow before she spoke in a smooth calm tone. "Amethyst. How goes her training?"

Ah yes, the training. Amethyst thought to herself. The one other thing in the years since Pink's capture that had taken over a significant amount of the little quart's time.

"She's doing very good." She replied, her voice gaining a bit more excitement to it. "Her powers are getting more and more amazing everyday."

"She's meeting my expectations then?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, stars, I would say she's _exceeding_ them."

White folded her left leg over her right, and raised her right arm up, resting her chin on it. "I see. That's good." She paused and then raised her head from her chin. "In fact, I believe it's time I saw a demonstration of this power."

Amethyst gave a small smile. "I believe she's in one of her sessions right now, if you'd like to go and see her."

The old gem considered the notion for a moment, then uncrossed her legs and stood. "Yes, I do believe that would be splendid. After all, it's not like I could summon her here to demonstrate her power. Imagine the repairs." White finished as she matched Amethyst's grin.

But the little gem's smile became toothy and large.

That was the gem she remembered.

* * *

They arrived at their destination, far below the surface of the planet under the Diamond spire itself. White and Amethyst found themselves in a large room with monitors on all sides, numbers flying by the screens and gems running across the floors. As White entered all stopped and turned to her to give the Diamond salute, she gave a single nod and they went back to work.

One of the Chrysolites walked over with a bright smile upon her features. "My Diamond! A pleasure to see you again."

"Dispense with pleasantries." White said curtly. "Tell me of her progress."

The little gem nodded, with a bit too much enthusiasm for either White's or Amethyst's tastes, but she then led them to a large observation window on the other side of the room. There, down below them in the center of a large white dome, stood the one they'd come to see, Black Diamond.

She was facing towards them, but her eyes remained closed, her fists clenched but her face relaxed.

Chrysolite turned to one of the other gems manning one of the stations. "Prepare Scenario Seven-Ten!"

The room around Black began to shift as seemingly identical white titles of the floor, wall and ceiling replaced one another in quick succession. Black didn't so much as move a finger and within seconds the process as complete.

"Begin." White ordered.

One of the tiles peeled back and a turret fired upon her, but Black didn't move as the exact parts of her body that should have been hit by the blasts turned to smoke and reformed. More turrets appeared and started firing and each time the hits almost connected Black's body morphed to avoid the damage.

The little quartz watched wide eyed. "That's… amazing."

White made no facial indication as she spoke. "Indeed. It would seem she's become quite skilled."

"You are more correct than you know, my Diamond!" Chrysolite said excitedly. "Bring out all the turrets we have!" The three watched the spectacle as all the shots passed through Black harmlessly, so much so that the stray bolts began to hit one another. "The subject can turn her body into smoke to avoid damage. It used to be that she had to do it by seeing the shots coming at her. But, after our rigorous training she's learned to do it without even thinking about it! It's become second nature to her."

"Enough." White said, looking down to Chrysolite. "That is enough of her defensive capabilities, I wish to see her offensive ones."

"At once!" Chrysolite said as she turned to the monitor gems. "Enough of that! End Scenario Seven-Ten! Run Scenario Twelve-Ten!" She stepped closer to the window and pressed a button. "You know what that means, Subject! No mist form!"

Black nodded once and opened her eyes. Holographic projections as big as she appeared around her. The room shifted again, this time putting up things like walls and buildings."

"Begin!" Chrysolite barked.

The holograms rushed at her with weapons of all sorts and Black sprang into action. She was like a blur as the holographic enemies were destroyed or tossed away as soon as they came near her. More and more enemies spawned, this time some appeared farther away with laser rifles, firing upon her position.

It made no difference.

She avoided the shots and kept on with her own assault. She grabbed one of the holograms and used it to bulldoze through the others, breaking through as she moved on to take care of her ranged enemies.

If the little quartz had been impressed before it was nothing to what she felt now. She was absolutely awestruck. When Black Diamond had been brought in all those years ago, White had given he a choice, swear fealty to her, or be imprisoned. The younger gem had stubbornly chosen the latter, but that wouldn't be the last time she did so. Every day once a year or over two-hundred years White had come to her and asked and every time, Black refused.

But one day, White came with a more tempting offer. Only then, after so many years and so many times saying "no" Black finally conceded.

After a half hour of this scenario, with more and more enemies being vanquished did Amethyst finally speak up. "Hey, Whi-my Diamond." The little quartz said, catching herself.

White gaze turned towards her. "This has been going on long enough, hasn't it? I mean she isn't showing any sign of slowing down, like _at all_."

The old gem looked down and out the window again for a few moments more before turning to Chrysolite who had been gazing curiously towards the quartz but immediately turned to meet White's gaze. "Yes, I do believe that is enough."

The little gem nodded and turned to the monitor gems once more. "End it! Shut it down!"

The three watched as the hologram Black was about to destroy faded from her sight. As the young Diamond realized what was going on she let her battle stance relax and walked calmly towards the center of the room as it moved about her, returning to its original state.

A door on the side of the room opened. "This way, please, my Diamond." Chrysolite said as she led the way down.

"To be honest, my Diamond when you brought her in, I couldn't believe my eyes! I mean another Diamond? After so long?! It was astounding!" She gushed.

"Have you learned how to replicate her yet?" White asked.

The little gem frowned. "Unfortunately… no, my Diamond." She took out a data cube and pressed a button on it. A 3-D image of Black Diamond appeared, indicators and texts floating around her appendages. "The structure of her gem is wholly unique, unlike anything anything I've ever seen. Its different from structure even from other Diamonds, replicating her would be… nearly impossible I'm afraid."

"But wasn't she based on Blue Diamond?" Amethyst asked.

Chrysolite paused as she took one almost sneering look at the quartz before looking back to White as she answered the question. "Yes, well, whomever got her hands on Blue Diamond's shard had to make some… interesting compromises."

"Meaning?" White asked.

"She has… organic structure to her." Chrysolite said. "But it's more, and different, than that. It was like she found a way to break down both organic matter and gem material, combine them and then use the resulting product to build from scratch." Chrysolite then gave a shrug. "Frankly, what she is… it shouldn't be possible. Whomever made her was either genius or mad."

They finally reached the bottom but before the little gem opened the door White addressed her. "I've given you centuries of time, and cutting-edge technology, I want to know _exactly_ how Black Diamond was made. Then I want the process replicated, many, _many_ , times. A lone gem, on a ruined world, working with nothing but scrap should not be able to outmatch you. I expect better results when next we speak of this."

Chrysolite visibly shook and gulped. "O-of course, my Diamond. I understand."

White and Amethyst entered the room but as Chrysolite moved to go with them, the old gem stopped her. "That's far enough. Return to your duties upstairs."

Chrysolite was about to offer an objection but stopped herself. "Yes, my Diamond." She said as she bowed and left.

White and Amethyst approached Black who turned to them. Neither Diamond emoted in the slightest, looking eyes with one another.

Amethyst tried to step forward. "So, that was-"

"Don't." Black said quietly with the force of an order, not ever breaking eye contract with the elder gem. "Not another word out of you."

The little quartz backed up and White stepped forward. "She was merely trying to express how impressive she thought you were. And you were just that. Impressive." White said, just as quietly, but with authority still clear in her tone. "It should have taken you over a thousand years to hone your powers to this degree of mastery, yet you've done it in a little over half that time. It's mothering short of astounding. The mark of a true prodigy."

Black narrowed her gaze. "Save your compliments for someone who cares, like that little runt hiding behind your leg." She replied, once again not even glancing down to Amethyst. "Give me what I want, what we _agreed_ to."

* * *

The three soon found themselves upstairs, in White's personal room. Black made a beeline for the door across, White and Amethyst following behind at a more leisurely pace.

White clapped her hands twice and the doors swung open to the mirror room, where White herself had once been, but instead of her gem, two gems now resided there situated behind a field of light that separated anyone from touching them.

Black hurried forward into the room while the other two stayed behind to watch. The young Diamond turned to them. "Leave us."

White nodded and clapped twice again, the doors swinging shut. As soon as she was sure she was alone, her face fell, becoming one of concern and sorrow. She reached out touching the light wall. "Phenakite, it's me. Are you there?"

The mirror seemed to ripple, and the two gems lit up, soon a figure of light appeared, shining brightly before it faded. Phenakite appeared then, touching the mirror from her side and smiling with a weary grin. "Hey, Beedee."

* * *

White and Amethyst waited outside, and the Diamond spoke. "You have something you want to say, Amethyst, I can tell. So please, speak your mind."

"We shouldn't be doing this." The little quartz replied. "It's wrong, forcing her to cooperate by hanging her friend out over her like that."

"Yes, I suppose, Amethyst. But while it may be a cruel and evil act, it is a less and necessary one." She replied. "We can't trust her, but she's too valuable a resource to destroy. So, we have to be more creative."

"I just hope it's all worth it somehow." The purple gem said honestly.

"As do I." White agreed. "But for now, Black Diamond is still only the second most important prisoner we have to monitor."

* * *

Rose Quartz, Two, as she was called by her sisters, watched the gem before them rather boredly. At first watching Pink Diamond struggle in her containment had been amusing, but after years, she just sat there, her eyes closed, kneeling, her hands clasped together.

She heard footsteps and looked up to see three waving to her. "Oh hey, you're here." Two said with a yawn.

"Feeling tired?" She asked.

"Nah, just bored." They both turned to look at Pink. "I mean look at her, she's not exactly exciting to watch."

Three shrugged. "Well anyways, you can go off. It's my shift."

"Right, see you in a few days." Two said as she walked off.

As soon as she was gone three stepped up closer to the glass, but not too close. "Look at you, Pink Diamond. You used to be so much more, now you just sit there saying nothing, doing nothing, waiting for nothing."

Three was only met with silence in response and she shook her head. "Well, whatever." She walked over to a monitor. "Guess I'll… I dunno, read up on some homeworld files or something while I'm here."

" _Come to me…_ "

Three spun around, looking to Pink Diamond then around her. "Did you say… something to me?"

Pink was motionless, only the hum of the energy could be heard. Three looked at her for a while longer then returned to her reading.

" _Free me…_ "

* * *

Peridot sighed as she looked out towards the sky. She'd seen it countless times, it was a wonderful thing to see, truly. Especially with the telescope she'd made. She though while she looked out to the cosmos. While they could never leave this place, it was still nice to look out and see.

Speaking of which… what was that?

Peridot adjusted her lens as she saw something streak across the sky. "Is that a shooting star?" No, it was too big, too bright and it was getting bigger. She watched it breakaway form the atmosphere and come down in a blaze in the dark forests near the hill she'd been using. "A meteor? This far out? It must have been coming from a stray asteroid." She concluded. "Should I go and check it out?" She wondered aloud. "No, the forest is too creepy when its this dark." Though even as she was saying that she was heading towards the crash site. "But then again, I've been in the jungle during the day, it can't be that different at night."

Peridot had never felt so wrong as she stepped carefully though the dark foliage. She should not be out here, she wasn't a combat type. Still her curiosity got the better of her as she looked up and could see flaming branches far above her, leading her on a straight path through the darkness.

As she got closer she could here the crackling of fire, she must have been very close to where the crash had been now, she thought. Indeed, she was, for just as she turned the corner she saw it, the giant flaming rock that had broken through their atmosphere, and it was still a flaming mess.

But then Peridot heard something she knew she should not have. She could hear… a sparking sound, like the sound of electrical discharge. She stepped closer, trying not to touch the flames but saw something most unusual.

Exposed wiring.

She moved to look at the rock from a better angle and saw that it had a hollow center. Not only that, but the hollow center had seats and a window, albeit broken and doors and metal and more exposed wires.

This was _not_ a meteorite.

Peridot stepped closer until she was halfway into the thing as she inspected everything closer. This was an escape pod… but how did it get all the way out here? How did all this rock debris get on it? And… what was that beeping noise?

Peridot climbed further in and heard the noise coming from under a cushion, she felt a little give as a small ripcord came loose and saw, for just a moment, a small metal bomb before everything turned o light and deafening sound.

* * *

Amethyst leaned on her spear at the entrance. Honestly, she wondered why they even had a door guard, it just made everything seem more obvious, and beside who'd needed one here at night anyways, I mean who was going to try and invade them? They were way out in nowhere and hadn't any more beef with the Empire so why-

 _ ***Clank clunk**_ _*_

The quartz straightened up, looking out towards the dark cave, what had that been, rocks moving? Stars, she hoped it wasn't another organic that managed to find its way down here. Personally, she'd rather just leave it to its fate. But, if that happened Rainbow would pitch a fit and lecture about the sanctity of life or some other such thing.

She listened closely for some other sounds, anything else, but only heard the howling of wind and the dripping of water and sighed. Maybe being on guard duty was getting to her.

Then agate heard the flip of the switch behind her and watched the secret entrance expose itself. But before she could do so much as utter her surprise two blades launched themselves into her back. She looked down to see them before poofing.

The two figures flipped the switch again and the door sealed close behind them.

* * *

 _Not here… Not to me… Destroy their power… Free me…_

* * *

Chrysolite didn't really understand it. They were gems, they didn't need to sleep, they could work practically forever if they so wished, so why did Rainbow insist on this mandatory break every day for so many hours? Sure, she had said that it was to disrupt the organic life here, that _did_ need to rest every so often, but it seemed like there were simpler ways to solve that problem, though none that Rainbow would ever approve of. And even if she would listen, Chrysolite seemed to be one of the only ones who liked working at all times. Rainbow had said the other reason was so that gems could experience new things, try different jobs and take a break form their current ones so that they didn't fall into too much of a cycle. But then if breaks were mandatory, wasn't that simply adding them to said cycle?

Regardless she'd been lucky enough to have the job of maintaining the stead power that came form the generators, something that _did_ need one hundred percent attending to, something she had volunteered to do as a matter of fact.

So, she supposed it was alright.

Chrysolite's eyes were suddenly drawn to unusual readings, generators one through four were losing power. She looked off in their direction and could see the top of generator one, its flashing lights gone dark, but then she saw another go dark right after it, and another and another. Chrysolite's eyes darted back to the screen and saw what she was seeing physically. The generators were being powered down. But why? On whose orders?

Chrysolite stood up and began walking in that direction. "Hey! Hey whoever's doing that cut that out! We need those generators to run our auxiliary systems! It takes forever to reboot them!" She waited for an answer, but none came. "Hey! Who told you to power those down anyways?! Answer me!" Silence. Chrysolite sighed and began to walk over towards the darkened generators. "If Rainbow wanted us to do a hard reset could you guys at least tell me why?! I-"

She turned a corner and expected to see someone or several someones waiting for her. But there was no one. "Where di you-?"

Her attention was suddenly drawn back to the core generator as the shadow of someone was cast from its glow. She stepped out of the aisle to see some gem hunched over her console. Her eyes widened and she ran towards her. "Hey! Stop! What are you doing there!? Only I'm authorized to use that! Stop!" he ordered.

As the green gem approached, she noticed that it was a quartz that was working on the console. A citrine if she wasn't mistaken. "Hey! You! Why haven't you answered me?!" she asked.

No response.

"Hey quit ignoring me!" She said as she stepped closer, grabbing the citrine by the shoulder. "I want you to-" She stopped dead in her tracks as solid yellow eyes. She was so suddenly terrified at the sight she yelped and fell back on her butt. The citrine stopped what it was doing and turned its attention fully to her, walking slowly. Chrysolite scooched away as fast as she could but suddenly felt resistance as she ran into something solid. She felt behind her and there were solid legs making a wall. She turned her gazed upward and saw another pair of those disturbing eyes looking at her.

* * *

Rainbow loved this time of day, it was quiet and peaceful, and she didn't have to attend to her duties to her people just then. Not that she hated tending to them mind you, it was just… this alone time in her glowing mushroom garden was so nice. Their florescent glow and simple look gave them an almost comforting king of look, their simplicity their own brand of beauty, unlike a flower which showed off with its petals, these seemed content with simply being.

They didn't need to grow out in the wild, expose themselves to danger. No, why would they when they had a nice place all to themselves right here? So, what if it was far away from anything else, it was theirs and they made the most of it.

Rainbow's thoughts were interrupted as the light, dimmed for the mushrooms, above her flickered. She watched it curiously before it finally shut off completely, allowing the mushrooms to glow to fill the room.

An absolute chill ran down Rainbow's back as realization it her. "Oh no."

* * *

Three could really see why Two was so bored down here. There was little to do. Luckily for her, she had the documents in front of her to keep her entertained.

Or she did.

Everything suddenly went dark and three stumbled to her feet in shock.

She could hear a single sound like something being carved but it was gone as fast as it had come and she was suddenly standing in flashing red light. She turned towards the glass prison slower than she meant to and gazed upon a large open hole in it, cared in a perfect circle exit.

She let out her breath and realized she had just sighed in relief. Was she happy that Pink escaped? No, more glad that she hadn't decided to take her out before leaving.

She did leave right? Three looked to the inly exit, a tunnel that led into darkness. She should tell somebody right awa-

Three looked to her right shoulder and saw it engulfed by a hand the size of her torso. With her left arm she felt backwards and felt a leg with the girth of a grown tree. She slowly gazed up and saw glowing eyes, one glowing yellow and the other pink.

* * *

 **Done and done. Please review.**

 **So, I'm guessing most of you, if not all, have seen the new episode and may I just say one thing?**

 **I f*cking called it!**

 **I mean, partially anyways. The whole "Pink Diamond is Rose Quartz" thing was going to be how I ended my story "Change" before I decided that I liked Pink better as her own character rather than one tethered to Rose as a persona.**

 **The show seems to have disagreed with me.**

 **Though it wasn't perfect, frankly I thought that body switching power would come into play more than Pink simply shape-shifting into Rose. Like maybe the original Rose gladly gave her life so Pink could live as freely as she wished. Or some sort of "blank gem" empty body that Pink could put on like a skin-suit.**

 **Oh, and that whole "Lion being Pink Pearl" thing I had is way dead in the water, which is just as well since I got that idea from an artist on DeviantArt.**

 **Guess we only have White Diamond to know about and that'll be about the last mystery to Steven Universe.**

 **Anyways thanks for reading, see ya soon.**


	22. Ch 22: The Union

**Chapter 22, time to get off this rock.**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

Chapter 22: The Union

 _Centuries Earlier…_

* * *

Pink held her knees close to her chest, burying her face in them. She sat dejected, and without hope. She had been defeated, for what seemed like the last time, there was no way out and she could do nothing to stop it.

"So, this is how a Diamond acts in defeat is it? Disgraceful."

Pink's head lifted a bit from her knees as she saw Yellow sitting across from her, the usual disapproving frown upon her features.

"And just where have you been?" She whispered, taking a quick glance outside her glass cell to make sure one of the Rose Quartzes couldn't hear her.

"I decided to let you take the reins, just like you wanted." Yellow said matter-o-factly. She then looked around before focusing back on Pink. "Brilliant work you've done. Really."

Pink scowled, looking away. "So, now what. Are you here to rub it in my face? That you were right all along? That I should have listened to you?"

"Well, I could. But it sounds like you've come to that conclusion just fine all on your own. Besides we've got bigger problems to deal with, such as getting out of this little prison Rainbow Quartz was kind enough to trap us in." She finished as she allowed her ghostly hand to phase through the glass wall.

Pink sighed. "There's no way to get out of here. The field disrupts anything I try."

"Yes, there is no way out of here. Which is why we need help from the outside."

"I doubt the Roses are feeling very keen to help me."

"Not them." Yellow corrected.

Pink's eyes widened with realization. "You mean…?"

"Yes, Citrine and Morganite should still be out there somewhere. We just need them to come to us. Free us." The elder Diamond concluded.

"But how?" Pink asked. "I'm not strong enough to call them from entire systems away."

Yellow inched closer. "We can, if we fuse."

Pink couldn't have heard that right. She shook her head in bewilderment. "'Fuse'?" She asked. "What do you mean 'fuse'. You and I right now are as close as any two gems could ever get. Even fusions."

"No, there's still too much disconnect with this body we share." The elder gem said shaking her head. "Your powers have diminished because half your gem is gone, mine are diminished because half my gem is gone as well. Then we were stuck together in this form. But we are not fused, not really."

"I still don't understand what you're asking of me." Pink replied.

"Then let me be blunt. What this will do to you and I? It'll mean the end of 'you' and 'I'." Pink looked continually bewildered so Yellow went on. "Two diminished Diamonds like this does now a whole Diamond make, Pink. But we can, through our union, our _true_ fusion."

The realization of what she was saying dawned on the younger Diamond. "So, what your saying is, this true fusion, it'll mean we aren't individuals anymore. Not even individual gems anymore…"

"We will be one true gem." Yellow finished.

"True fusion…" Pink said, pondering it over. To be honest, the prospect of what Yellow was proposing was deeply frightening. She'd never even tried regular fusion with anyone, so she couldn't even have that as a reference. Still there were questions that needed to be answered. "Why do you want this?"

"We are not strong enough alone Pink." Yellow said flatly. "We need this to have even a _chance_ of reaching them, no more powers separated by our different minds. One body, one power… and one mind."

"But, this'll mean you'll be gone forever. It'll mean… I'm gone forever." The young gem said sadly.

To her credit, Yellow actually looked sympathetic. "Yes. The 'me' that I am and the 'you' that you are will be gone." She reached out with her ghostly hand, allowing it to touch the top of Pink's without phasing through. "But together, from now on. We'll be 'us'."

Pink felt immature for asking this, but she couldn't help herself. "Will… will it hurt?"

Yellow actually gave a small reassuring smile. "It'll be like falling asleep, and waking as a new person, together."

Pink sighed deeply. "I… really don't like this. But, I guess there's little choice."

Yellow backed up a little. "Good. It'll take a long time for you and I to become one. But, once we do, we'll be able to break out and punish all who did us wrong."

Pink readjusted herself, so she was kneeling, her hands in her lap and her eyes closed. She took one last deep breath, held it for a second and breathed slowly out. "Alright then. I'm ready."

* * *

Rainbow Quartz ran from her home to Pink's prison. She saw brief glances of confusion as she passed by scores of gems as fast as she could. Part of her wanted to stop and reassure them that everything was okay, but if what she thought was happening was truly happening, then it was about the farthest something could be from okay as okay could be.

She reached the great metals doors that had been crafted into the ground. They were still intact, that was good. This was the only way out, which meant that she had to prepare.

* * *

The Diamond slammed her former subordinate into the wall, her eyes glowing fiercely the darkened room that flashed red. "Hello… 'Three' was it?" She didn't wait for a response as she then threw the gem to the ground at her feet. "You're probably wondering why I didn't try and just make a break for it."

Three tried to crawl away but the moment she made a move to do so, the elder gem moved to get in her way. "So, here's the thing. I'm suspecting that there's more to getting out of here than just running up that way." She said pointing to the exit. "And you're going to tell me, what it is I want to know."

Three turned so she was on her back instead of her belly and looked up and Pink. "No I won't. I'll _never_ tell you what you want to know."

The Diamond looked surprised before a wicked smile ripped across her features and she laughed. "HAHAHAHAHA! Oh see… that's funny." Her vice then dropped to a deadly tone as her hand began to glow. "I wasn't asking."

* * *

The reinforced doors slid open and the Diamond stepped outside, ready for a fight.

But there was none to be had.

In fact, the entire compound felt eerily quiet now. As if they had all just up and vanished.

But she knew better. White Diamond had expressly forbidden any sort of warp-drive engines to be made, which meant Rainbow had ordered an evacuation to one of this planet's moons or to another one of the planetoids in the system.

All this meant that they could only be in one place at the moment. She closed her eyes and reached out, at first finding nothing but then, on the far side of the compound sensing them. There were hundreds of thousands there, she could feel their anticipation and dread. Still, she hadn't heard any siren or anything, it must have been some sort of silent alarm then.

Still, how was she not informed of this earlier? Where were Citrine and Morganite?

Now that she thought of it, where was Rainbow Quartz? Her distinct presence wasn't anywhere in that crowd.

 _ **CRASH**_

The Diamond looked up just in time to see vines come down and grab her by her limbs. The yanked her off the ground so fast it wasn't until a few seconds later that she realized they had already let go and she was flying through the nighttime air.

She quickly righted herself as she entered the canopy, managing to catch herself on one of the branches before landing on one right below it. "Rainbow! Come on out!"

She listened for a response of some kind, but only heard the wind rustling through the trees. She tried concentrating, feeling out for her presence, then locked on. She looked down and saw her, even in the darkness, bits of her hair and one of her eyes. She was standing on a branch only a few meters above the ground. "You should have stayed in your glass box, Pink."

She just sneered. "You think you can beat me, Rainbow? All alone?"

Rainbow just frowned as she raised a hand. "Who said I was alone?" She suddenly clenched her fist and the older gem felt the tree move beneath her feet and suddenly snapped back at her, trying to catch the Diamond between it and the trunk. She leapt out of the way onto another branch and another, dodging and waving as she went. She hit the ground running, making her way through the dense underbrush.

The elder gem could feel vines trying to snare her, branches trying to block her, even roots and grass trying to trip her up.

She finally broke free to a clearing, looking back into the dark jungle, then she heard something, but not from the jungle.

 _ **BRRRRAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCHHHTTTTT!**_

She turned around and saw in the distance a ship taking off. It looked to be an older model but was recognizable none the less. The Diamond could sense a great number of gems leaving on the ship.

"I've ordered them to leave this place, Pink." Rainbow Quartz called out from the very top of the canopy. "They're going to be safe from you and… whatever it was you did to these gems." She made a throwing motion and chunks of gems shards landed at the Diamond's feet. "You shattered them?"

" _Freed_ them." Rainbow said resolutely. "Whatever they were, it was destroyed the moment you subjected them to that cruel, twisted power of yours."

Rage filled the older gem's dichromatic eyes. "You want to see _twisted_? You want to see _cruel_?" She turned her attention back to the fleeing ships and held out a hand, storm clouds beginning to close around the spaceport. "You got it." But as her clouds closed in, large roods suddenly sprang from below around it, and began to hum with electricity. The clouds around began to dissipate as they touched the field. She sent lightning against the rods, but it was only absorbed without so much as a scorch mark.

"You didn't think I hadn't prepared for the possibility of your escape, did you?" Rainbow asked from the top of her tree. The Diamond turned back to her with gritted teeth.

The elder gem raised one hand up and in a flash of light and a crack of thunder, Yellow's straight sword appeared in her palm. With her other, she reached into the ground and pulled out Pink's tower shield. "So, are you lightning proof too?"

The clouds above Rainbow rumbled as the Diamond directed her sword in circular arcs. With a sudden downward slash, a bolt came searing through the sky towards the perma-fusion. As the smoke cleared from the impact, the Diamond saw a large dome surrounding Rainbow. But, as she looked closer she saw it raise and then fold in on itself until it was a simple parasol. She glared down towards the Diamond and pointed the tip of the parasol at her. "My turn."

Rainbow raised the parasol and the ground began to erupt with plant life around the older gem. The plants bound together until they formed plant soldiers. The soldiers rushed her and the Diamond began to cut through one after another, slashing and hacking her way, but they kept coming, many reforming from their cut limbs and bodies.

The Diamond started to make her way back towards the tree line and jumped up to ne branch and to another in quick succession. She reached the top of the canopy and Rainbow turned to face her. "Shall we get to it then?"

"Yes, let's."

Their weapons clashed together, the lighting in the clouds overhead, creating great flashes that illuminated their fight. In the darkness and with the clouds overhead the two appeared as little more than silhouettes of one another, but as they exchanged blows Rainbow began to notice something. Pink's jumpsuit no longer had the splotches of Yellow across it, instead her suit was solid colors and shades of orange and she was a few meters taller than she last remembered. "What have you done to yourself?"

"I became something more." The Diamond replied as she kicked her away. Rainbow caught herself before jumping off into the clearing. The older gem followed, sending bolts from her sword after Rainbow Quartz who blocked with her parasol.

 _ **BRRRRAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCHHHTTTTT!**_

The Diamond looked past Rainbow to see another ship taking off. "You're not trying to beat me, you're trying to stall me!"

The perma-fusion gave a mirthless smirk. "As long as I can keep you from getting to them. I win."

The Diamond grinned maliciously. "Thanks for showing your hand." She was off like a shot, beelining her way towards the spaceport.

The older gem aptly bobbed and weaved through the jungle around her, even as it tried to stop her. She could feel Rainbow right on her trail, but she would not catch up in time. She reached the very edge of the spaceport, the field humming with power. She concentrated on her sword and electricity began to make it glow. The Diamond reeled back to strike at it but her arm was suddenly caught by a vine.

She turned to see the perma-fusion motioning with her hand and yanking back. The Diamond quickly cut through it and rushed her, before Rainbow could react the elder gem tackled her to the ground, pinning her. "It's time to end this." She said before reaching down with one hand to pin Rainbow's wrist and using the other to cover her mouth. Lines of yellow began to flow out from the contact points as the perma-fusion's eyes widened with fear.

With her free hand she slammed a hand to the ground and more vines yanked her off, but this time they did not let go. Instead they increased in number, holding the Diamond so she was suspended in the air and her limbs in four different directions.

Rainbow stood, one eye and arm now glowing Yellow. "You almost had me." She made a motion and the vines began to pull. " _Almost._ "

The Diamond gritted her teeth. But the smile soon appeared again, a malevolent look of triumph in her discolored eyes. "What are you smiling at?" Rainbow asked. "Not even you would smile at your own defeat."

"I'm not smiling at _my_ defeat." She corrected as the vines suddenly loosed before quickly wrapping themselves around the perma-fusion's limbs. "I'm smiling at _yours_."

Rainbow looked behind her to see the four Rose Quartzes, all eyes glowing with an orange light in their eyes. "You _turned_ them?"

"You didn't think I'd actually waste such potential, did you?" She asked. "After all they were my soldiers to begin with, I've simply returned them to my thrall." She explained as the four made motions and Rainbow was forced into a kneeling position. "Now, for them." She said walking over to the pillar and lighting up her blade once more. With one clean slash, the rod coiled and collapsed, the field disrupted.

 _ **BRRRRAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCHHHTTTTT!**_

The third ship was leaving, and Rainbow expected Pink to run off, try and stop the last ship to leave. Instead the clouds began to grow dark above the spaceport. "Wait! What are you doing?!"

"Being cruel."

As the third ship left and tried to break through the atmosphere, bolts of lighting surged through the craft and it fell from the air like a stone. It landed right on top of the remaining ship which was firing its engines and the entire port exploded.

 **KKKKKKAAAAAAAAAA-TTTHHHHHHOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!**

An explosion ripped through the jungle with a deafning roar. Trees, bushes animals and grass turned to ash as the explosion spread. Nothing but dust and smoke as far as the eyes could see, as well as a giant crater in its center.

The Diamond shrunk her tower shield back to its original size and turned around to see the jaw dropped expression of horror on Rainbow's face. There were a small island of green in an ocean of destruction.

"Wh-what have you done…?" She asked helplessly.

"I turned your life's work into nothing but ash. All, literally, up in smoke." Piece of metal and tiny gem shards began to rain from the sky. The older gem held her shield above their heads now, blocking the debris as it fell away from them.

Tears flowed freely from Rainbow's face as she sobbed, and the Diamond felt _immense_ satisfaction at her despair. She then brought her defiant head up. "WELL? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR THEN?!" She shrieked. "KILL ME! JUST END IT!"

The Diamond leaned down, whispering one little word right into her ear. " _No_."

Rainbow then felt the vines get tighter and she realized what was happening to her as the vine's strength grew. Rose's form and Pearl's form began to separate, and even though they attempted to stay together the vines were too strong and with one final tug the two gems were separate entities once more.

Rose watched Pearl struggle against her bindings and she did the same to no avail. "Please, I beg you! Just kill us! Don't turn us!" She said with more tears as Pearl did the same.

The malevolent smirk creeped on her face again as the Diamond leaned down. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not turning _you_." She said as she raised a foot, and Rose's world was lost to darkness.

* * *

Rose finally felt herself reform. She ached all over, but otherwise she was fine. "What… happened?" She asked aloud. Then the memories hit her and she suddenly felt out, only to feel a cool smooth surface she recognized as glass. This sensation only lasted a second before a shock forced her back and a sudden realization came over her. She was in Pink's cage. But where was…?

She looked through the glass and saw someone working the controls. A wave of relief washed over her as she recognized whom it was. "Pearl! Thank the stars! What happened? How did you escape? Where's Pink gone?"

No answer.

Rose called out again, confused. "Pearl?" Can you hear me? Are you trying to free me?"

Silence.

The Quartz gave a nervous chuckle. "Heh, heh. Stop messing around Pearl, answer me."

Pearl stopped what she was doing but didn't turn around.

"Pearl…?"  
The gem finally turned around and Rose's eyes widened as she saw the solid glowing orange in her eyes. "NO! NO, STARS WHY?! NO! NO! NO!" Rose fell to her knees as tears fell like waterfalls from her eyes. Pearl just stared blankly for a second before going back to work.

* * *

"You know guys, I got to say, it's nice being out again." Pink said as she and the four silent quartzes walked along. "I mean being strapped to a rock floating through space was kinda boring, but at least I had, you know, space. Being in that cramped little box? Such a bore."

The four simple gems walked along with her, not indicating even the slightest bit of their own sentience.

"Anyways, I've been thinking, the name 'Pink Diamond', I mean it's not really appropriate anymore right?" They did not answer. "I mean in truth I haven't been her in a _long_ time, what with the whole 'Yellow Diamond's shards making up half my gem', thing. But now She and Pink Diamond and really one entity instead of two incomplete ones in a single body, so I guess I need my own name, right?"

The made no indication of agreement or disagreement, simply trotting along to keep up with her.

"I mean, sure there's the obvious, 'Orange Diamond' but I dunno. I mean for one, orange is more red plus yellow and I'm _pink_ plus yellow, so it already technically doesn't make sense. Though, then again, pink could be argued to be a shade of red." She said aloud to them. "And the second thing is that, well, it's obvious, don't you guys think?"

She looked to them for validation, but they simply stopped and stared at her as she did to them. After a few moments she began to walk again, and they restarted their jog. "Well, anyways, that's when I started to think of some other names, like I could be 'Fallen' Diamond, cause of how I rebelled, and will rebel again. Or maybe I could be 'Fusion' since that's what I am, a fusion between two Diamonds, and a perfect one at that. I've also though about maybe working the whole assimilation angle, like calling myself 'Unity' or 'Collective' but those don't seem quite right. 'Unity' does seem close, but maybe something like it, I like the 'u' sound to it."

She then stopped, as did the others, snapping her fingers and turning to look at them again. "I got it! I will be 'Union'!" She held her hands out as if waiting for some reaction but then went on. "Get it? Like, how you are all going to be under my thrall? How the entire empire is going to be under my 'Union'? It's perfect! Because we'll all be one under my mind in a perfect 'Union'!" She waited and then mentally send an order through her mind, the four began to clap in a coordinated manner and she bowed. "Oh yes, thank you, you guys are _such_ great listeners!" She then looked ahead. "And look! Our conversation allowed us to pass the time, and now we're here!" She said excitedly.

The five gems found themselves on the tallest peak in the area, a mountaintop that towered over the land. Union then turned to her minions. "Alright, you guys know what to do, I'll take care of the rest."

The four made motions and plant life burst from the ground, starting as a small tree before bursting forth into a mighty tree. Union meanwhile had cut a large section of rock from the ground. The four quartzes bent the great tree back and it creaked from the sudden strain. The Diamond place the boulder on the tree as the four held it in place. She then hopped on and with silent orders the four quartzes did so as well.

Then with a sudden smirk, she gave the orders.

 _ **TTHHWAAAANNGG!**_

The tree suddenly snapped into place and the rock went flying through the air, almost immediately into the upper atmosphere. "One… two… three…" Union put her hands behind her and great waves of electricity began to flow out from her palm projecting them ever higher until they had complete broken orbit.

"Now let's see…" She said as she scanned through space. "It would take days to travel to another planet with the tech level white forced them down to… so…" She looked to the moon, seeing on its surface two ships. "How predictable."

* * *

Gems were being corralled into groups outside the ships, many shared feelings of fear and anxiety from the destruction of their home, something that could be seen even from space as a patch of scorched land in a sea of green.

Their conversations suddenly stopped as a rock from the sky entered the moons weak atmosphere, heating up on impact and creating a crater a little ways off from them.

Before anyone could react, five figures jumped from the rock, high into the air, thanks to the lesser gravity of the moon, and on their feet less than thirty yards from the entire force of refugees.

The orange looking one stepped forward, a sinister grin upon her features.

"Friends! Compatriots! Former army of mine! Hello to you all!" She said in a booming voice. "I know many of you know me already, or perhaps at least heard of me, but please allow me to reintroduce myself! I am Union!"

The crowd was speechless, not believing what was happening in front of their eyes.

"Yes, yes. The name… I'm sure it's very confusing. But not to worry! You won't need to remember it! In fact, you won't need to remember anything! Because you all are going to be joining the ranks of my fellows here!" She said as the four stepped forward.

"So, please no resistance, no fighting back! Please, join us in our Union!"

* * *

 **Done. Now there's a couple things I want to say here, so listen close. The next chapter? That's going to be the last one, I'm wrapping this up. But it's going to be a longer one Like I do with all my ending chapters, so you have that to look forward to, on the last day of May, in fact, so tune in then for the finale of 'Another Path'.**

 **Secondly, there's something I believe needs to be said. Something that has really bothered me but right now has sort of come to the forefront given the latest reveal and that is this.**

 **Fans? Get over it.**

 **It is not** _ **your**_ **story. You do not get to dictate what the Crewniverse does or does not get to do with its own property and they have** _ **no**_ **obligation to please you. It does not matter if you think that Pink Diamond being Rose is garbage, it's the way the story is unfolding so quit your pouting and suck it the Hell up.**

 **I say this because it just seems that this kind of crap happens every time anything in the fandom. Fans feel "betrayed" simply because something that they did not like came to pass. And it's not just here, I mean with** _ **any**_ **fandom, Star Wars, or MLP or Doctor Who or Sherlock, it doesn't matter. Stop thinking you have some sort of entitlement to how the show is produced and written simply because you watch it. Don't harass the staff and count yourself lucky that they happened to make something that got you into the series** _ **in the first place**_ **. Okay? Rant over.**


	23. Ch 23: New Era

**Chapter 23, and so it ends. For who better to fight a goddess, than a she-devil?**

 **I don't own Steven Universe.**

* * *

Chapter 23: New Era

 _One hundred ten years later…_

* * *

Amethyst looked over the reports with a deep frown. Calling them bad would be nothing short of an understatement. Colony after colony had fallen some within weeks of each other, others within days. There was no doubt in her mind this was the work of the fallen Diamond, Pink. And if what the reports had said, her powers were growing all the time as she spread her own brand of corruption from colony to colony.

The little quartz arrived at the throne room, ready to give the reports. But as she knocked at the throne room doors, she heard no indication to come in. She waited for a few more seconds before knocking once more. After a few more seconds she finally decided to push open the door, only to find the room vacant, the large singular throne, empty.

There was only one other place White Diamond would be.

Amethyst turned around and got back on the elevator, riding it to the top floor and opening the doors to White's private room. She walked and to her back, there she was, White Diamond, leader of all gemkind, looking out over her metropolis.

The little quartz approached her slowly, stopping at the archway between the main room and the balcony. "White, I have the latest reports. Most of our forces were able to get away and retreat back here to Homeworld like you ordered but some…" She stopped, noticing the Diamond's lack of interest in what she was saying. "White?" She asked. "Are you… alright?"

The old gem did not turn to meet her gaze, simply continued to stare out, seemingly lost in thought. Amethyst was about to speak again when she answered. "Who am I, Amethyst?"

The little quartz blinked at the strange question. "You… you are White Diamond, our leader."

She nodded once, slowly, still looking out. "And do you trust your leader?" She asked.

Amethyst walked closer until she was at White's leg. "Your gems will follow you to whatever end, my Diamond."

"'To whatever end'." White repeated wearily. "What happened, my little quartz? What happened to our once beautiful empire?" She asked. "Is it my fault that so much heartache has befallen us all? Did I choose the wrong path? Are my mistakes, my failures, be what will doom us all?" She shook her head. "How did it come to this?"

White felt something unusual, just then, like a pressure had just attached itself to her ankle. She peered down to see Amethyst doing her best to embrace White's calf. "Amethyst?"

The purple quartz did not look up, her face buried in White's boot. "You can't blame yourself." She said. White heard a sniff as she continued. "I'm sorry."

Now, White Diamond was old, very old. She had seen many things in her lifetime, so these days very little surprised her. And yet she was just that, surprised at Amethyst who was apologizing and holding her so. She bent down closer and spoke. "Sorry for what?"

"I didn't know you felt this way." The little quartz began. "I've always thought you were invincible. Someone who wouldn't be bothered by anything, no matter what it was. But that's not true at all is it?"

She looked up at White, tears welling up. "You're hurting, all the time, on the inside. Because of what you've had to do for all of us. But you don't show it, or complain about it, you don't say anything about it." She buried her face again. "I'm sorry because even after so long of trying to be helpful to you, I didn't really notice that before now. I realize just how useless I am, that I can't even help you with all this heavy emotional stuff, especially when you need it the most."

Amethyst felt a large hand envelop her gently and lift her up. She then widened her eyes as she beheld White looking down on her, her mask set aside, and a warm motherly smile upon her features as tears streamed down from her face as well.

"You have nothing to apologize for, my little quartz." White said before drawing her closer so that she was nuzzling her against her cheek. "You have been everything I ever asked of you and more. Never doubt that. You gave me the insight and perspective that I needed to rule better. But perhaps more importantly, you were a friend to me when I had only servants. I can never thank you enough for all you've done for me." She finished as she pulled Amethyst away so they were looking each other in the eyes.

Her eyes had stopped crying, but a blush had turned her face a deep purple as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Well, gee, when you put it that way, you're welcome."

They both chuckled and White set the little quartz down on the raining and they both looked out upon Homeworld together.

"But White?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you really mean all that?" She asked. "I mean it just seems like-"

She was interrupted as White put a single finger to her lips, which nearly blotted out her entire face. She then motioned out the metropolis below. "What do you see, my little quartz?"

The memory of their first encounter came flooding back to Amethyst and she couldn't help but smile to herself. "It's home."

White gave a small knowing grin. "Are you sure? Because I think 'the architecture is very good' and 'the aesthetics are very pleasing'."

They both laughed then and after a few moments White addressed her again. "You see, Amethyst? You've grown much since our first meeting. This is your home as much as mine now, and thanks to you I understand my subjects as much as if I was one of them."

The little quartz beamed. "Well, I'm glad."

They both looked out again at the city below but were interrupted as White's communicator went off. She accessed it and a 3-d holographic image of a chrysolite was displayed before her. "What is it?"

"Our outer space probes have just been destroyed and long-range scanners show a massive fleet heading our way." She reported.

"Time until contact?" The old gem asked, now entirely in leader-mode.

"Less than a day, I'd estimate, perhaps sooner."

"Keep me updated on any further developments." White ordered before dismissing the hologram. She then turned to look at Amethyst. "We need to start making preparations immediately. I need you to go and inform Black Diamond, have her prepare for battle."

The little gem nodded and ran off. White watched her go with a sigh. "The time has finally come to end this."

* * *

Star ships off all types began to drop of out hyperspace, just outside Homeworld's gravity well. First, a few dozen appeared but the number quickly grew into several hundreds, if not thousands. Then Finally a massive starship, one that looked like it had been cobbled together from several other starships appeared.

Within the large, meshed, ship, sitting in the commander's chair, was Unity, looking down on Homeworld with a twinkle of sadistic glee in her eye. "Ah, look at it. Homeworld, beating heart of the Empire. Who says you can't go home again?" She looked around, waiting for an answer, only to be met by several dozen black, orange-eyed stares. The true fusion sent out a silent order with her mind and they all began to chuckle in perfect robotic harmony after a few seconds she clapped her hands. "Okay, that's enough of that." They stopped and she got from her seat, sending more silent orders as she left the bridge.

Union was soon on top of her ship and walked over to its misshapen tip. She then sat down on its edge, her feet hanging over the side, and pulled out a communications device. She accessed the device and made her call as a holographic screen was projected in front of her. The screen showed none other than White Diamond herself, though if there was any indication of surprise at the call, the old gem did not show any sign of it, how typical of her.

"White, so good to see you." Union addressed sweetly as she crossed her legs. "I would have called ahead, but I'm sure we would have been interrupted by screams of terror and begging for mercy, the usual stuff I've been dealing with this last century."

White gazed at her unblinkingly and Union's smile fell. "C'mon, don't you have anything to say?"

The old gem spoke slowly, her words measured with a great deal of patience as she said them. "What do you want, Pink?"

"Oh yeah, right 'Pink', see I don't really go by that these days. I've adopted a new name. Call me 'Union'." She replied. After White seemed unwilling to respond she went on. Anyways, I'm here to take Homeworld for myself and subject every last one of its inhabitants to my will."

"Do you think you can?" White asked.

Union took the bait. "Well, let's see. I have you vastly outnumbered and outgunned, even with you trying to pull back as many forces as you could to Homeworld before I arrived. You have no ships in orbit and I can only imagine its because you foresaw that they would have been almost immediately wiped out. And Now My fleet and I are in the perfect position to bomb Homeworld into dust." She said rather smugly. "So, yes. I do."

"Amusing." White replied. "I thought you would want to come down to settle this face to face with me. Are you scared now?"

Union coolly evaded the lure this time. "I've grown strong over these years of taking your colonies, White. Very strong. But I'm not a fool. And I'm sure you'll survive the initial few bombings, so I'm sure we'll have that face-to-face soon regardless. But this way, I have the additional benefit of making sure I win, by wiping out any supporters you may have."

"As I recall, it _was_ one on one last time." White reminded her, earning a furrowing of Union's brows and a tightening of her jaw. "But if you insist, go right ahead." With that the message ended.

Union scratched her chin. White seemed not at all concerned by the possibility of her bombings, which meat that she had some sort of trick up her sleeve. If she bombed now, it might trigger some sort of trap.

…

Oh well.

Union sent out the orders and the ships moved into place before the ships began to drop their payload. All over the planet large shots of plasma started to rain down, leaving immense devastation in their wake.

Or they would have.

The hot plasma fizzled against a white force field. Union watched as the barrage was deflected time and again with a confident smirk. "A force field huh? Let's see how long it can last."

* * *

White Diamond could hear the dull sound of plasma being deflected by the shield above her as she accessed her throne's console, readying her anti-aircraft turrets for when the ships would begin to land. She opened a communications line and called down to her quartz. "Amethyst, give me a sitrep, what's Black's status?"

"She's here White, but she refuses to fight." Came back her response.

"We don't have time for this. Force her to!"

"Uh… I-" Amathyst was cut off by what sounded like the communicator suddenly being yanked from her grasp.

"White, this is Black." She said.

"Black Diamond, I need you to fight with us. Pink Diamond has returned and she's trying to bomb us from orbit."

"So I've noticed." Black replied flatly. "I'll fight for you, but I have some conditions."

The old gem was about to object when a particularly hard crash came from above before she returned her attention back to the communications line. "What is it?"

* * *

The rooms to White's innermost room opened up and the field around Phenakite's gems deactivated. The mirror gem looked up from her prison to see White Diamond standing there by herself, alone. She gave a quizzical look but before she could offer even a single word of question, the building shook again, pieces of the ceiling coming loose and falling to the ground. "So, I'm guessing this isn't a social visit." She said flippantly.

"Save your disrespect." White said. "I'm letting you out."

"Oh?" Phenakite said, stroking her chin. "Not for free though."

"No. Pink Diamond's returned and she's currently bombing the planet. I have no idea how long we have before she breaches the shields." White explained. "I need your help."

"So, if I help you defend Homeworld, I get my freedom, is that about the scope of it?" The fusion asked,

"It is." The old gem nodded.

"How do you know I won't try and get out of here right after I escape? Or try and join Pink Diamond?" She asked.

White pointed towards the ceiling. "Because I know you care for the common gem, and Pink's currently doing her upmost to wipe them all out."

"She wouldn't try and do a random bombing run all over the planet. I bet she's only bombing major sites. I mean if she bombed everything, there'd be no gems left at all!" Phenakite argued.

White brought up a still image of Union and turned it towards her. "See for yourself, she's not the gem you used to know, or the one I used to know. She's gone mad and will turn this entire planet to rubble if she gets her way." She then showed the massive planetwide bombing that was currently happening.

The old gem could see the gears turning in the fusion's head but said nothing as she addressed her again. "Okay, I'll fight for you. But as soon as this is over, I'm gone. And I'll stay gone." She said as she added the last part bitterly.

"So long as you don't interfere with the Empire's business you can go where you please after all this is over." The Diamond replied.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

White reached forward and plucked the gems out of the mirror, tossing them to the floor. At first, they sat motionless then they formed into Flint and Pink Pearl, but only for a moment before they joined hands and became Phenakite once more. "Let's get to it then."

* * *

Union watched with a bit or irritation in her eyes as the bombings started to slow down, their payload, nearly spent till at last they stopped completely. "Hmm, didn't think they'd hold out." Her frown turned into another smirk as she sent out more orders. "Ah well, let's see how they handle _this_."

* * *

White and Phenakite walked side by side out of the innermost room where they were met by Amethyst and Black Diamond at the elevator.

An immediate change in both Black's and Phenakite's tones changed as they rushed forward and embraced one another, tears welling up in their eyes.

"I'm so glad you're free." Black started.

Phenakite chuckled. "Yeah, me too Beedee."

The old Diamond clapped her hands together. "Come, this is no time for tearful reunions, we must hurry. Union could breach the shield at any second with her constant bombardment."

"'Union'?" Black and Phenakite asked together.

"Pink's new moniker." White explained briefly. "We should head down to the throne room, there's one last thing I need."

They all hopped on and began to descend when Black pointed out something. "Hey, you know, the shaking and the sounds… they've stopped."

"Did she run out of ammunition?" The fusion wondered.

"We should be so lucky." White said dismissively. "I very much doubt it. Though even if she has we must be vigilant of her next move."

They all arrived at the throne room and White quickly sat in her throne when the spire shook again, but far more violently this time.

"What in space was that?" Amethyst asked.

White quickly accessed her throne feeds and her eyes widened as she beheld them.

"What is it?" Black asked.

"See for yourself." The old gem said as she pressed a button and the display was made large for all to see. It showed gems raining down from Union's ships and landing on the shield. Some immediately fizzled out but a great many more resisted and they could all see why.

Many of the gems they were seeing that were being dropped from the ships were fusions, and not just any fusions, but _massive_ ones. Fusions that looked like they could have been made from a dozen or more gems, some as big as the buildings that made up Homeworld's metropolis. Some appeared humanoid while other were animalistic and some even appeared as unidentifiable masses. They were beating against the field like a battering ram, _hard_. Many of the smaller fusions that didn't poof out immediately began to fall through the briefly open hole the impacts made thanks to their larger friends, all of them heading towards one shield generator or another.

"So many fusions…" Phenakite said wide eyed. "How did she get so many gems to work as one like that?"

"Because under her, they _are_ one now." White said grimly. The spire trembled again, and White turned to them. Both Phenakite and Black seemed to want to know more but White held up a hand. "You'll see what I mean soon enough. Get out there, take down her gems, and your freedom will be granted. Now go!"

After they left White turned to Amethyst. "There's something I need from you as well." She tapped a few commands on her throne and by its side, a second smaller throne appeared, this one in a shade of purple and just right for the little quartz's size.

"Is that for me?" She asked. "How long-" Another shake interrupted her.

The old gem pointed to it. "No time. Get in it, _now_."

The purple gem did as she was told and as she sat, it suddenly contoured to her size, becoming vastly more comfortable to her. With a single motion, White sent all the data currently on her own screen to Amethyst's and the little gem was mindedly overwhelmed. "Whoa, White, what's happening? What are you doing?"

"I'm going to be needed for something else. Right now I need you to take care of operations and doll out my orders for me." White informed her.

Amethyst mindedly felt a enormous burden placed on her as she took in White's words. "WHAT?! I can't do that! Only you could-!" Yet another quiver of the building interrupted her.

"I haven't the time to argue with you, Amethyst. Just trust in yourself. You can do this." White said looking at her with her best reassuring smile.

The little gem gulped and sighed. "Okay… I can do this… if you say so…"

"I know so… you won't let me down." The old gem then closed her eyes and her body began to glow.

* * *

Black Diamond and Phenakite were silent as they went down the shaft before the former opened her mouth to speak. "So, what's the plan?" She asked.

"Plan?" Phenakite asked.

"Yes." Black Diamond nodded. "Are we joining Pink? Are we making a break for it? What is it?"

Phenakite crossed her arms, closing her eyes as she looked down. "I'm… not sure. What's happening right now is everything I ever wanted. A final attack on Homeworld, the last of the Diamond authority finally being overthrown." She then opened her eyes and looked to Black. "So why can't I shake this feeling that something terribly wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"I got this terrible feeling in my gut." The fusion explained. "Like, unease and anticipation… and fear. Pink's trying to take over Homeworld, but she's going to turn the entire place into scrap if she doesn't stop. What happened to her?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should try and ask her." Black suggested.

"But where is she?" Phenakite asked as their elevator ride wobbled with another strike from on high.

"I'm going to guess… up?" Black suggested.

"Well, wherever she is, we won't have a chance to meet up if the planet's gone. So for now, we'll play along with White's plan."

"Agreed."

As the doors opened they sprinted across the lobby and headed together towards one of the shield generators under attack.

* * *

Union watched, her features neither entirely pleased nor displeased. She seemed pensive as she felt the conflict through each and every one of her thralls. Many were very close indeed to brining down oen generator site or another, and once one fell, that would be enough to send her ships into low orbit to take down the rest and fully being their assault.

In fact, she thought as she saw through the eyes of one such gem ready to take out the antenna atop a tower. That time seemed right about…

 _ **Vrummmummmmm FVISH**_

Union's contact with that gem was suddenly cut off from that gem. Confused she then saw through the eyes of another gem, the next one closest in fact, to see what had happened. She could see the destroyed gems falling to the ground but not what-

 _ **Vrummmummmmm FVISH**_

Again, her contact was cut off and Union began to feel frustration. "What in space is happening down there?"

She saw through a third and looked around. This time she saw it, a glowing form of white. It was shooting beams of light from its palms at her minions, preventing them from getting to the tower.

"White…" But then a thought occurred to her and she smirked. "Well… if you're there, I'll just go to the other side of the planet."

She took control of a fourth, and the tower was indeed within her grasp. "Good, destroy it." She said aloud.

 _ **Vrummmummmmm FVISH**_

The connection was lost and she immediately assumed the vision of another gem. And there she was again, a glowing form of white holding off the advancing army.

"What? But I just aw her… how did she…?" A thought then occurred to her and she took control of another on a tower far away from either of the first two she'd seen, and there indeed was White again. A sixth, a seventh, an eight, it did not matter, White was there, holding off troops. "So, it's as I thought…"

* * *

Amethyst looked over to the old gem sitting in her throne with worry on her face. "Be careful White, you'll strain yourself trying to control that many copies of yourself."

White Diamond, the real one, had indeed spilt herself into no less than twenty copies and sent them off to defend Homeworld. Now she was powerful, _vastly_ so, but her reserves weren't infinite. She had taken a huge portion of that power and split it up, and Amethyst saw through the feeds being sent to her that White's copies were beginning to slow, their individual energies draining. If they fell to no power, they'd simply disappear, and then it would just be Homeworld gems defending the tower, and given that most of said gems were in a panic, even the soldier, it wasn't looking good.

She suddenly received a report from one of the facets and grimaced. It had just gotten much worse.

* * *

Union watched as one tower finally fell, she gave silent orders for her toops to move in towards the breech and move in they did as they pour in like a ruptured underwater vessel. The huge fusions began to enter now, sweeping away the lesser Homeworld gems with single swings of their limbs as they went after the remaining towers.

The true fusion had to admit, even with just watching she was filled with immense satisfaction as she began to see the destruction all the way from her perch just outside the atmosphere. Homeworld was being set ablaze, her army turning Homeworld's once glorious skyline into nothing but rubble.

Soon, even more of the generators began to fall and more of her ships and soldiers began to pour through. Her gaze looked onto one of the only places left that was still putting up the most resistance, where her troops had barely made any headway at all, Homeworld's capital.

"Take us down, it's time for a personal touch." She ordered as the huge misshapen ship began to descend. Whit it had gotten low enough that she could begin to make out the details, her eyes began to race, searching for their prey. Finally, she found her quarry, one of White's clones fending off more of her gems. She took a running start and jumped off, summoning her shield and ridding it down like a board. The clone's reactions were a hair to late as it turned to face her before being knocked out of the sky and slammed into the ground where it burst into particles of light.

* * *

The little quartz watched her friend jerk and mumble one thing under her breath. "She's… here…"

Black slammed her trident into another fusion, poofing it before jumping back so she was back to back with Phenakite. "There's no end to this hoard!" She shouted over the chaos.

The perma-fusion knocked away a blade and thrust forward, poofing yet another adversary. "Tell me about it, they just keep coming!"

"We need to get to the source!"

"But Pink's…!" They looked to the sky and watched a massive ugly ship come down and an orange light drop from it, impacting one of White's clones.

"So you think…?"

"Yes, Black, Yes I do. Let's go."

* * *

Union was walking the streets of Homeworld, watching as her minions fought off the resistance with a bemused look upon her face. She probably should have been hurrying to White's spire, but really what was the rush? Why not sit back and take in all the ambiance of chaos around her?

Her attention was caught as a tall fusion of hers suddenly fell over backwards and poofed out of existence, standing where it one stood were none other than Phenakite and Black Diamond. "Well, I was wondering if you two would be out here in the fray." She said in greeting. "How have these last few decades been treating you?"

"Well I was kept prisoner for a good long while." Phenakite started.

"And I trained a bunch under White, mostly forced into doing so because they held her captive." Black finished.

"That's real fascinating. I was in a box for a while, but then I got free and put together my army that you see." Union aid motioning around them before clasping her hands together. "And as much as I'd love to reminisce with the both of you, I owe White a visit so…"

The perma-fusion stopped her with a hand and Union looked quizzically down at her. "Hold up, Pink, we need to talk."

"Like I said I-"

" _Pink_." Phenakite said, with finality in her voice. "Please. For me."

Union gazed at the determined look in Phenakite's eyes and sighed. "Try and make this quick, Phenakite. I got places to be."

Black stepped up, trident in hand. "She'll take as long as she needs to."

Union momentarily switched her gaze, but it was bored as it focused on her. "Sorry, Black. Fusions only. Why don't I have someone play with you for a bit?" She said as she clapped her hands twice. A huge hand reached down and grasped Black, lifting her into the air as the two fusions watched the gigantic gem begin to walk away as Black struggled in its grasp. Union then turned back to Phenakite. "You were saying?"

The perma-fusion turned back around, some anger in her eyes. "What did you do!?"

Union waved off the sudden outburst. "Oh, she'll be fine. Now I believe you had something you wanted to share with me?"

The perma-fusion's anger rose, and her volume started to rise. "What are you even _doing_ here?!"

Union seemed to find the bravado amusing and answered calmly. "What does it look like? It's everything you ever dreamed isn't it? Homeworld in ruins, my sister about to be dethroned, the Empire as we know it dead and gone?" She crossed her arms and gave a little put. "Honestly I thought you'd be a bit more grateful."

"Grateful? For this?" She said as she motioned all around them. "This is chaos! No gem is going to survive this! We were trying to _reform_ the Empire not burn it to ash!"

Union paused for a moment as if the thought never occurred to her. "No, I suppose that wasn't the original plan. But honestly? Seeing Homeworld go up in smoke is _way_ more cathartic than I thought it'd be."

"What about all the gems here who were just following orders? Just doing their jobs?! The non-combat gems don't deserve this! Slag! The ones we actually fought don't even deserve this!" The perma-fusion pleaded.

Union rolled her eyes. "They deserve all they're getting and more. They're Homeworld gems and soon enough they'll be mine or they'll be shattered. Now move."

The perma-fusion stepped in her way again. "What do you mean by that? That 'they'll be yours'."

The trust fusion pointed to one of her minions currently fighting against an agate. "Haven't you noticed?"

Phenakite looked over to that gem and seemingly for the first time, noticed it. Their blank orange eyes. "What have you done to them?!" She asked, fear and disgust evident in her voice.

"What'll happen soon enough to the rest of the Homeworld slag if they aren't shattered first." Union responded. "They're under my thrall now. They do what I say, whatever I say, when I say it. Their consciousness wiped away, leaving only my will."

Phenakite backed off slowly in disgust and horror at what she'd just heard. She drew her sword. "What _are_ you?"

"I am the Union, Phenakite. The one true unity that all gems will be under in time." She answered simply. "Now, step aside before I have to preemptively add you to the collective."

The perma-fusion drew another sword. "You're not Pink, not anymore. Homeworld were tyrants, but you're a _monster_. You need to be stopped, right here, right now."

Union raised a single eyebrow. "Are you going to fight me, Phenakite?" She merely assumed a battle stance and the true fusion sighed. "Very well. I'll make this quick."

* * *

White's eyes shot open and she turned to Amethyst, but before the latter could say a word, the old gem pressed a button and the little quartz's throne was encapsulated and shot down. As soon as she left the entire top portion was ripped off and tossed aside by a monstrously huge fusion. In it's palm stood Union, looking as smug as ever as White regarded her silently from her throne.

"I have come home, sister." She said as she stepped from the hand onto what remained of the throne room floor.

"This is no longer your home. And I am no longer your sister." White said flatly.

Union nodded. "Yes, I suppose there will be much reconstruction when all is said and done. But you can't make gems without leaving a planet or two a withered husk, right?"

"This fight is between you and me, Union." White said as she stood from her throne. "No one else needs to be involved."

"When did you get so sentimental for your underlings?" The true fusion asked. White didn't respond and Union nodded. "Very well. If that's how it's got to be." She summoned her sword and shield and charged.

White summoned a blade of light to her hand and they locked together.

* * *

Black dusted herself off after finishing the fusion and looked towards White's top where she could make out on the very top of it, where a giant fusion stood, what looked like Union and White fighting. Black moved to join them but was abruptly stopped as Phenakite's form appeared, her face downcast and darkened as storm clouds above them began to roll in.

"Phenakite! What happened? Weren't you and Pink just-?" She stopped as the perma-fusion rushed her. Black's reflexes kicked in and Phenakite's blow passed through her. The Diamond caught her arm on the backswing. "What are you doing?!" She gasped as solid orange eyes gazed up at her.

* * *

Amethyst suddenly found herself underground, _deep_ underground in fact. As far down as she'd ever been. She stepped from the throne and walked to the center of the room where a pit lay before her. She walked near it and could hear the bubbling liquid as it simmered. She had heard of this place from White before but had never been down here.

The primordial gel vault. One of the safest, if not _the_ safest, and most secure places on Homeworld.

The little quartz went back to her throne and tried to access her feeds. Luckily for her, she was still able to see what was going on, unluckily for her, none of what she saw looked good.

Union's forces were like a tide, streaming in and overwhelming Homeworld's forces through sheer numbers alone. Anti-aircraft guns were doing their jobs well enough, but for each ship shot down it seemed two more appeared in its place. On top of that, any Homeworld ship trying to leave or join the aerial fight was near-immediately swarmed over, Union's forces had the air locked down tight.

Only the most fortified bases on Homeworld were still putting up enough of a fight, and even then they were only holding on because of White's clones. The little quartz still had to admire White's strength, even with only a fraction of her power they were still incredibly formidable, holding back giant fusions and the tides of gems alike.

But this created a problem too.

She switched over to a feed showing White's and Union's battle and frowned. Her Diamond was splitting her focus between directing her clones and the fight before her, and the little gem had a feeling she would not be able to keep that up for long.

* * *

Union laughed as she stuck again, White stepping back to avoid the blow, nearly sitting back down in her throne as the true fusion advanced on her. "What's the matter White? You were never this slow before!"

She lunged and White rolled out of the way, the slash making a clean cut through the back portion of White's throne, its top cleanly slinging off from the diagonal slice. She pointed her sword and it began to glow with energy. "Stop **RUNNING!** " She said as the blade lit up and fired a shot of lightning from its tip, White made a shield of light and deflected it back towards the sky.

Union kept up her assault, firing bolt after bolt while White slapped them away. The true fusion made a move to strike, but White was quicker, closing the distance as a bright light unleashed itself from her palm. Union was blown backwards, flipping over herself and tumbling back into the ruined throne. Anticipating a follow up attack, she sent out orders to her giant as she blindly jumped into the air. The giant swiped, knocking the rest of the throne room to the ground far below before she landed in its outstretched palm.

Her sight was gone but Union could still feel White's presence, she was some distance away now. "Trying to escape? That's not…?" She stopped, she could feel… _more_ of White. She realized at once what it meant. She blinked a few times and saw as no less than thirteen of White's clones were standing in the air above her, each with a single pointer finger glowing at her. "Ah, slag." They fired at once, the giant staggering as it tried to shield her. Union sent out bolts in retaliation, but the clones evaded skillfully, keeping her pined down all the while.

A few buildings away, White took a knee in the topmost floor of another one of her destroyed buildings. She was attempting to get her second wind, but it was all proving more taxing than she was expecting, trying to recuperate and maintain enough concentration for her clones simultaneously.

Though it was getting a bit easier as time went on. One, because with all them in one spot, she didn't have to divide her attention so drastically anymore. Two, because of one, she could give them all the same order rather than specific ones for each. Three, and most unfortunately for her, they were being wiped out one after another.

The giant finally toppled and fell backwards, but Union leapt to a building as she fired another volley at her foes. Only nine or so remained, but they abruptly stopped and went rigid. They were suddenly spread out into groups of three and were absorbed into one another, creating three, three-armed clones. They were far faster now, and had stronger light beams.

Union hid behind her shield as they began to barrage her with their attacks. "Okay, so, you think you're the only one with backup, White?"

One of the clones was quickly slapped from the air, sending it spiraling into a building where it collapsed on top of it, sending a large burst of light out from its rubble.

White watched from her hidden perch as Union's minions were being summoned from across the planet. Her mind raced, she still wasn't back to full strength, but still, if she did nothing…

The clones were taking out fusions and gems fell from the sky like rain, but still they came. They wouldn't last much longer.

White looked around, and around again. All she saw were those sickening orange eyes. It was time to even the odds.

The true fusion bisected through the last clone, watching the pieces of light fall to nothing. "Come out here White! Before I grind your city and every gem in it into dust!"

Union saw a bright light emit from a nearby building, but it shot into the air. She could make out White's form in the middle but soon lost it as the light continued to grow. "What is she…?" She watched as the light suddenly got smaller, no not smaller, _denser_ , far more compact than before.

White held the orb she'd compacted in the air, and slowly let it go from her hands in the area above her head. It was so small, so bright, dazzling even. Then, without a sound, spikes unexpectedly burst forth from it. Harsh edges grew out from the sphere, skewering through them but not stopping. It shot out into the sky and into the ground, large obtuse spikes that impaled everything they touched as far as the eye could see. Then in a moment, the orb and its branches were gone, and all the fusions poofed, loosing their form and becoming mere gems again.

Union saw a spike strike through her shield, stopping inches from her slowly fade into light with the rest of the orb before she stood up and looked around. At least half her remaining forces had been decimated in a single attack.

But not at cost it would seem.

The old gem's aura dimmed and Union watched her struggle to maintain herself in the air. Union couldn't help herself as a malicious grin ripped across her features. "Wasting so much effort on grunts, White?! I expected better of you!"

* * *

Amethyst watched with great concern, she wished she could do something, _anything_ but down here she was powerless. Any of the defense systems in the area had already been decimated, if only there was something…

Wait… what was _that_?

* * *

 _ **SCHNKT**_

Black Diamond panted, breathing heavily as she leaned up against her trident. She was hurt, wounded, and it was all she could do to stay on her own two feet. Using the trident like a makeshift cane, she hobbled along. In her offhand she gingerly held a dark bubble, two gems placed side by side within it.

Black had had quite the time fighting off Phenakite. Her old friend, even under Pink's, or Union's, or Whatever-she-was-calling-herself's thrall, was formidable.

It was only White's attack just now that prematurely concluded their fight.

The attack had taken out Phenakite and poofed her back to her original gems. Unfortunately for her, the attack had also outpaced even Black's reaction time and the young Diamond wasn't able to get away unscathed as she was impaled several times. It was a good thing she was also quite resilient and managed to keep her physical form from dissipating. Now she was trying to head back to the tower, if she could somehow make it to the bunker far beneath it, she could have a chance to safely store Phenakite's gems and recuperate while she planned her next move.

As the young Diamond approached the ruined building, she heard what sounded like objects being fired out of a cannon. She looked up to see gems flying through the air, and over to where Union and White were fighting.

* * *

Union jumped down from her perch down to where White had fallen, but when she got there she found where the old gem had landed, but not the old gem herself. She looked around through the debris, but it was impossible to determine where she ran off to.

But she didn't need to see White to find her.

She sensed the old Diamond's presence near her, and called out around the corner of one of the fallen buildings. "This what the great White Diamond is reduced to? Running and hiding like a coward?!" She called out. "I know you're there! Why don't you-!" She stopped as she heard something falling from the sky above her.

Just then, she felt… presences around her. They were simplistic, single-minded and powerful. She looked off to the side, where the nearest one approached her. It appeared like a beast, large as a starship, slowly walking forward, a low rumble coming from its mouth.

Union's face dropped. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

The beast leapt at her, and Union put up her shield, launching it into a ruin as another presence approached.

White peered from around her corner, catching her breath as she witnessed a spider-like gem attempt to skewer Union with its legs. "So, you released the corrupted gems, have you Amethyst? Clever."

 _ **ROOOOAAAR!**_

White turned around to see a giant toothy centipede creature bearing its teeth at her. "But not without its drawbacks."

* * *

Black watched the two Diamonds turn their respective attentions to the corrupted gems instead of each other and continued on towards the tower, summoning enough of her strength to jog.

As she reached what was left of the entrance to the tower, she looked around. The elevator was all but destroyed and even had it been working the upper floors themselves were crumbling away, if they were there at all. The once grand murals that decorated the inside of the tower were now little more than colorful rock strewn across the floor.

She just then saw as part of the floor moved apart and something from below began to rise. Black watched a purple throne emerge and Amethyst sitting upon it. "Finally! I thought I'd never get it to come up here!"

Black walked forward. "Amethyst? What are you-?" She stopped and fell to one knee as a pang of pain ripped through her body.

The little quartz ran forward, stopping just short as she looked concernedly at the young Diamond. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"No, not really." Black replied honestly. "We have to leave. Homeworld won't last much longer with those two fighting."

The purple gem backed up, crossing her arms resolutely. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Black stood back to her feet, still leaning heavily on her trident. "Don't be dense. If you stay here you're as good as shattered. And if you're betting on my protection you'd better think again."

The little quartz didn't budge an inch. "So me, an overcooked runt, is doing more to help save this world than you, a Diamond, is? You're pathetic!"

The young Diamond, suddenly straightened up, standing at full height before taking a step towards Amethyst, her eyes narrowed as she towered over her. " _What_ did you just say?"

The little quartz didn't even blink. "I said, 'You're _pathetic_!'"

Black watched the quartz eye her with determination in her gaze. She had to admit, this little gem had more courage than she'd first thought, speaking to her like that. "And how exactly are _you_ helping?" she asked.

"I released those corrupted gems to help White." Amethyst explained. "Even if they only distract Union, it should be enough to give White an advantage."

The young Diamond's gaze was drawn away towards her throne and her expression turned ever grimmer. "I'm afraid my dear, you may have just made things _far_ worse."

The quartz turned around and saw Black was looking at the viewscreen of the battle, and watched with wide eyes as Union touched one of them, and yellow markings began to spread out along the creature.

* * *

White lowered her hand as the great centipede creature fell to the ground defeated and poofed out of existence. She returned her gaze back to Union, but she was no longer there.

White heard a whoosh through the air and backed up just in time as the rubble she'd been peaking from behind was cut neatly in two. Union continued to advance and White's deflected her blows with her light sword. They locked blades and their faces were close once again. "You know, White. I had my doubts that I'd actually be able to fight you, after all, you're the greatest gem, White Diamond!" Union said, pushing the old gem away.

She pointed her blade at White. "But look at you! Out of shape! Out of practice! And why?! She continued as they clashed again. "Is it because you've sat too long on that throne?! Is it because you got soft listening to that little pet quartz of yours?!" She suddenly grinned again. "Or is it because, you have trouble dealing with… the unexpected?"

The Diamond blocked her strike but felt a tentacle wrap around her ankle and lift her from the ground. The old gem was lifted upside down and was whipped around, sending her careening through a building.

White picked herself up just in time to be blindsided by another strike, this time from a bull-like gem. The bull pushed her, but White dug in her heels, grabbed it by the horns, lifted it up and slammed it down into the ground.

It wasn't over yet though as the tentacle came back. This time the old gem caught the tentacle and yanked, revealing a squid-like gem monster. This time White did the swinging as she swung it over her head and slammed it into the bull.

"HA! Not bad! I thought you were finished, but look at you. Still got some fight, huh?"

White looked to see Union standing atop another one of her ruined buildings when a flying creature sailed up from behind her while the ground beneath White began to rumble. White jumped up and looked down to see her centipede was back, its eyes now glowing orange.

The old gem dodged as the flying creature tried to grab her with its talons, instead she grabbed its leg and dragged it down, swinging it into the gaping jaws of the centipede.

Union continued to watch but began to frown as her pets continued to fail. "Alright, enough of this." She raised her sword to the sky and it began to rumble. "Just get her to hold still for a moment."

The beats did as they were told as the bull picked up White and tossed her into the air where she was caught by the squid beast, her limbs stretched so she was helpless in the air, it wouldn't hold her for long.

But then, it wouldn't need to.

 _ **KRAAAKAAA-THOOM!**_

A great bolt came down, catching White right in its path as she was engulfed in tremendous power. The old gem's smoking form fell in a heap and the creatures began to circle her.

Union stepped closer. "Back off!" she baked. "She's mine to finish."

The creatures did as they were bade to do, backing down as she gathered near White, still smoking and face down. Union kicked her over so that she was face up and crossed her arms. "How the mighty have fallen." She stomped down on White, digging into her chest with her heel as the old gem grunted in pain. "I do hate repeating myself, but truly White, I expected better of you."

She stopped stepping on White and began to circle her like a predator. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I wanted to win and all but, c'mon! Couldn't you put up more of a fight?"

White said nothing and Union furrowed her brows. She bent over and grabbed White by her shoulders, pulling her up so she was sitting up, though barely. The true fusion gripped White's jaw and pulled up so she was looking in each other's eyes. "I want you to look at me when I'm talking to you." She roughly let go and White began to stir, making a grunt before focusing her good eye on her sister. "That's better."

White turned and spat out some dirt then spoke, albeit weakly. "It that all you're going to do… 'Union'? See if you can make me shatter through words alone?"

Union patted the side of the old gem's face. "That's it White. Put on the brave face. It's how a Diamond should go out, right?" She paused as she began to snicker to herself. "Since this is the end, I suppose I should go on about how this was my greatest challenge, or how it's poetic that not one but two sisters whom you tried to rid yourself of have come back to destroy you." Her hand began to glow and the yellow markings began to appear on White. "It might even be worth it to try and turn you to the union." Her smile fell till it was only a thin line and the lines receded somewhat. "But the truth is, I just want to watch you die."

White smiled weakly back at her. "What are you waiting for then? Just do it."

The true fusion summoned her sword. "For once sister, I think that's an order of yours I'll happily follow." She raised her sword into the air and it began to glow. "Goodbye White. Know that you're leaving the Empire in good hands."

The old gem closed her eyes, and for her time seemed to slow to a crawl. Her long, long years seemed to flash through her mind. Most prominent were her failures, the failures of her Empire, of her sisters, and even the failure of herself.

But there was one small thing that made her smile, one act of serendipity that gave the last few centuries of her life no small measure of joy. Amethyst, her little quartz. There was so much that had passed between them, and so much more that White wanted to tell her.

But alas, this was the end.

White waited a few more seconds, expecting the blade to reduce her to nothing. She opened her eyes after a time and saw Union looking away. She looked up a little farther and saw the true fusion's arm was wrapped tightly by a purple whip.

"Amethyst…" White said weakly.

Union hard White her dichromatic eyes looking from White to the little quartz. "'Amethyst', huh?" She paused for a second and the malicious grin appeared once more. "Oh, that's right! Your little lackey! I do remember hearing about her, somewhere." She then addressed the gem directly. "So, what's your story, huh?"

"I'm here to stop you!" Amethyst said defiantly.

Union gave a little chortle. "Oh, you are, huh?" With a single hard pull of her arm the little quartz flew through the air and Union caught her by her hair, holding her so she was suspended in the air.

"Let me go!" The little gem said as she struggled fruitlessly.

"How did you get past…" A sudden realization came over Union. "Oh I see. Black Diamond is still running around here, is she?" She whistled loud and high pitched and her minions began to scatter. "I'll have to send them out to hunt her down. As for you two, well now it seems I got a decision to make, one of you I'll shatter, the other I'll turn." She gripped White's shoulder and clenched Amethyst's hair. The yellow markings began to spread on each of them. "Whomever turns first, wins, okay?"

White felt many things at the moment as she saw both herself and her little quartz being turned into mindless drones. Fear, that she was going to lose perhaps her only true friend in many millennia. Doubt that she could no longer fight against this _creature_ that was once her sister. Despair, that this might really be the end, for everything.

But there was one emotion that welled in her as she saw her friend being hurt.

It was hot, and felt like it swept all other thoughts and emotions away.

What she felt just then was great…

Burning…

Raging…

 _FURY_

White reached up, and gripped Union's hand. The true fusion tried to pull away but it was like a vice. The yellow marking receded from White's body as it began to glow. No, not receded, they were being _pushed_ out. White stood to her full height and Union watched with absolute astonishment as with blinding speed, the little quartz was out of her grip.

"How did you-?" But before Union could finish another word she found herself in the air. It took a moment for her to realize White had thrown her, so fast that Union didn't realize it until she was already a single second away from crashing into a wall.

White and Amethyst watched as she did just that before the Diamond set her friend down gently. The little quartz began to back away as White's body glowed. "White… I…"

" **Hush… That was very stupid of you to come out here.** " White admonished and the little quartzes' eyes became downcast. Only for Amethyst's chin to be raised by a single large glowing finger. " **But it was also very brave. Thank you.** " The purple gem was about to say something in return when the tower Union smacked into exploded with electricity and a scream. " **Stay behind me.** "

Union launched towards them, landing a few yards away from them. Her blade began to glow and White knew what was coming. She threw up a white dome and the electricity splashed down and all around them. The electricity passed and White dismissed the dome. " **That's not going to work twice, Union.** "

Union snarled. "Oh yeah? How about this?!" She charged towards them blade in hand and swung. Amethyst closed her eyes but opened them again to see White was okay. Union looked confusedly to White then to her blade… the upper half of his blade was gone. Union looked to her sister seeing White holding it in her hand before tossing it to the ground.

White Diamond looked to her young charge then back to the true fusion. One step, then two, Union began to back away slowly as she approached. " **What's the matter, Union? Isn't this what you wanted?"**

Union sent a wave of electricity and White slapped it away like it was nothing. " **You know Union. I** _ **never**_ **use my full power. Do you know why?** **It's because it's too… much. If I use it recklessly, destruction will inevitably follow, but you've already proven that that is inevitable.** "

Amethyst heard as the beasts she'd seen earlier begin to attack White. The Diamond lifted the bull with one hand and used it like a club to slap the others away in the buildings and the ground before carelessly tossing it over her shoulder where is landed with a thud. " **So why don't I indulge you, Union, and show you just how powerful I truly am?** "

White rushed forward and Union put up her shield. The old gem punched with great force, so much so that the ground shook as she did so, Union being sent flying off her feet and into the sky where she sailed right into her flagship. The misshapen vessel began to explode all over and fell from the sky, exploding with a great flash of heat and metal.

The Diamond was over at the explosion site in an instant. With a single wave of her hand the flames were gone and she began to examine the wreckage.

Union breathed heavily and held one of her arms, the one that'd been holding the shield. White's power was no joke, she needed to even the playing field. But how? A thought occurred to her and her grin came back one last time.

The old Diamond waited, floating in the air. She knew Union would strike again, she just needed to wait.

 _ **KRAAAKAAA-THOOM!**_

White knocked another great bolt of lightning away with relative ease. She finally decided to call out. " **Is that it then, Union? After all that talk? All that bluster?** "

The old gem noticed something just then. It had gotten quiet.

Eerily silent.

That bolt wasn't an attack it was a... White's eyes widened and she shot back to where Amethyst was.

The Diamond arrived and saw nothing, no Amethyst, no Union. Had she been wrong? A shade appeared and White turned around to see a giant rock heading towards her. The Diamond destroyed it but saw as a figure ran just out of her line of sight.

" **Union! Come out!** "

A rock moved and she turned in time to see a tail slither beneath some rubble. White fired shots from her finger, dust and dirt filled the air.

White turned and was suddenly face to face with a giant fist. The Diamond pushed it back and it disappeared back into the dust. A tentacle came next and White cut it from the air with a blade of light. The tentacle disappeared and with a clap of her hand the debris was gone.

But what was in its place was something that made even White Diamond pause.

There was Union, except she was something else now.

Long horns sprouted form Union's head now, three eyes now decorated the right side of her face while the left eye had grown bigger than the other three combined. Her left arm was now a great tentacle and large wings sprouted from her back. Her mouth had sharp teeth now and her hair had grown and become shaggy. Her body was discolored with splotches all over, some of her limbs bulbous and swollen.

Union looked up pat her and laughed, it was guttural and strange, like many voices trying to speak at once. " **Look at me, dear sister! Looks like the outside matches the in, huh?!** "

The true fusion was gone in a second and punched White with her oversized fist. White matched it and a shockwave. The two began to exchange blows at high speeds, even as Union's body continued to morph and change. She was gaining speed and strength at an alarming rate.

But so was White.

The old Diamond knocked her sister to the ground with one last blow but Union was already up by the time she hit the ground and flew through the air with astonishing speed.

White and Union flew high into the air and paused their battle, each waiting for the other to make the first move. " **Tell you what White! Why don't we just end this with one last move?!** " Union flew higher and higher and higher into the air and White watched her go. What was she doing?

Union raised her arms and a ball of electricity formed. It floated above her head but grew and grew, its light and power creating heat and brightness like a miniature sun.

White eyes widened as she realized what Union was about to do. " **Is she insane?!** "

Union laughed manically. " **HAHAHAHAHA! So long, Homeworld! So long White! Say Hi to Blue for me!** " She brought her arms down and the ball of energy came down, wind whipping around debris flying freely through the air.

White stuck her hands out, using her power to try and push back.

But it wasn't working.

The old Diamond was being pushed down and down, farther and farther until her feet finally touched the ground. Her heels dug into the ground, but still she was pushed deeper. Finally the orb made touchdown with the ground.

Union gave an ugly, sickening, gleeful smile. Her revenge was complete, White Diamond was gone and soon Homeworld would be too. Her smile faltered as she noticed something.

The orb wasn't sinking any lower.

In fact, it was rising.

White Diamond strained greatly under the heat and power, but with all her might pushed and pushed and pushed.

It wasn't enough, the orb was too powerful, moving too fast. If White didn't do something fast, it'd all be over.

The old gem felt the power rise within her, she bided her time, waiting for it to gather and then.

She released it.

White Diamond's body became like a beacon of light and she shot through the orb, and then right into Union.

And through her.

Union looked down at the gaping hole in her chest, and her body began to convulse and twist until finally, with one last repulsive wail before exploding, gems and all, into nothing but orange dust and sparkles.

The orb too began to shudder as it became unstable and finally…

 **KAAAA-BBBOOOOOOOMMMM!**

With a great light and sound the orb pushed out and destroyed what was left of buildings.

By the time it was over, there was naught around for miles but featureless ground.

A shadow on the ground abruptly grew large and from within it out stepped Black Diamond, looking around before placing down her what was in her arms, Amethyst.

The little quartz shuddered and looked to Black. "Not that I'm not grateful, and all. But, I hope I never have to do that again."

"You're welcome." Black replied curtly. "It looks like it's over, finally."

The two then noticed something odd, the air around them was beginning to fill with an orange light. Amethyst watched as one of Union's nearby gem crumbled to dust and floated off into the atmosphere. "Black… your friend…"

Black took out her orb and un-bubbled it. The two gems glowed orange before turning to dust and drifting off into the sky. The quartz couldn't tell what Black was feeling, her expression was blank and yet there was something in her eyes...

The little gem widened her eyes as a though came to her. "Where is she? Where is White Diamond?"

* * *

The two wandered a bit until they came across another crater. Within it was White, she was battered, bruised, her body covered with scorch marks.

"White!" The little quartz ran down to her, tears forming in her eyes.

White weakly turned to her, giving a weak smile. "Ah… my… little quartz… I'm so glad…. you're safe…"

The purple gem's tears began to flow forth. "White! It's… it's gonna be okay! You'll see! We'll get help! We'll make you strong again!"

White brought a single finger to her mouth. "Shhh… Shhh… it's too late for that, Amethyst…. and I think…. you know that…" she said weakly.

The quartz began to freely bawl. "No! No! Please no!"

White managed to wipe her tears away with one giant finger. "There's not… much time… but know this… It's going… to be alright…. my little quartz… the Empire… will need you… more than ever…" Her smile grew just a bit.

"No, they won't!" Amethyst said through tears, wiping her nose. "They have you! _We_ have you!"

"Not anymore… I'm afraid…" She chuckled faintly before giving a small sigh. "Here… at the end… at long last… I wondered… if this day would ever come… but now that it's here… I only wish… there was more time… I've lived so long… wasted so much of it…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "But… it's too late… for regret…" She then opened her eye one last time, a single tear coming from it as it gazed at the quartz. "Take care… of them…" Her hand went limp and her body fell still.

Amethyst continued to cry, now openly bawling. "No! No! You can't go!" White's form slowly engulfed in light, before fading away, leaving only her gem. The quartz walked towards it and reached out, but before she could touch it, it turned to dust and blew away into the sky.

Black gave her a few moments before stepping closer, leaning down and placing her oversized hand so that it draped over Amethyst. The purple gem looked up at her and the Diamond spoke. "Come, there's something you need to do."

The two made their way back to the Diamond's spire, the only structure still left. Amethyst could see her throne, even from this distance she could see it buzzing with reports and gems awaiting orders. "What are we going to do now?" she asked.

"Lead them, of course." Black replied simply.

Amethyst turned to Black and gave a shrug. "I suppose that is for the best. You are a Diamond after all."

The Diamond looked down to her. "Who said anything about me?"

The little quartz seemed confused, but realization dawned on her. "No, wait. You can't mean-"

"I do." Black said, nodding. " _You_ will be the one to rule the Empire from now on, Amethyst."

She looked taken quite aback. "M-m-me?!" she stammered. "Bu-but I'm just a quartz! There's no way they'll listen to me! And you're a Diamond! You should be the one to take over!" she argued.

Black knelt down. "They already respect you, Amethyst. They've had to since you became White's second-in-command. Now that she'd gone, the Empire needs someone who knows its workings, has worked side by side with its ruler. It's like White said, they need you."

"But you-"

Black raised a hand. "Stop. Listen." She said, looking deep into her eyes. "My only right to lead is that I'm a Diamond, that's it. I have no other qualifications or qualities that give me any sort of right to rule. I do not know these gems, and I am not one of them. But you _are_." The Diamond actually gave a reassuring smile. "Don't underestimate the importance of that."

Amethyst looked from her to the throne and back to Black. "But if you won't lead, what will you do?"

Black looked to the orange sky. "I think… I'll go somewhere, somewhere very far away, from Homeworld, the Empire, all of this."

The little gem drew a bit closer. "You… could stay."

Black looked down at her. "I could, yes. But, my presence here would cause more harm than good. Gems would begin to wonder why you rule instead of I, and it would be all that much harder for you to lead." She shook her head. "No, I will depart from here, never to return."

"Where will you go?"

Black closed her eyes, picturing her plans. "I think I'll return to Earth, for a time. After that, I'll make my way beyond known space. Perhaps I'll reach another galaxy even, or simply journey into the void of dark space." She gave a little chuckle. "It would seem the Diamonds' rule is at an end. I wonder if White planned this all along." She opened them looking to Amethyst. "In any case, it's best I leave before gems start gathering." With that her body began to sink into the ground.

Amethyst watched her go, a look of small concern on her face. "Will I ever see you again?"

"No." She said simply. "But that is for the best. Amethyst, Queen of the Gems. I wish you good luck, farewell." With that she sunk into the shadows and was gone.

The purple gem walked slowly towards her throne, reaching it and touching its arm in reverence before slowly turning around and sitting down. She saw it all, the distress calls, the gems awaiting orders. All that would need attending to, but first thing was first. She accessed the planet-wide communications and all chatter became silent as they received the priority call.

She licked her lips and tested the mic before clearing her throat.

"Attention everyone…"

* * *

 **That's it. It's the end my beautiful friends. This was fun, but now I must go. I thought about making another story, perhaps my version of Pink Diamond meeting Steven, that could be interesting huh? But no, no, I won't be writing that. In fact, I won't be writing** _ **anything**_ **else. This was fun, truly, but I got things to do, and this was a bigger anchor on my life than I care to admit. Now I must unburden myself from it and go my way.**

 **For any of you wanting to somehow continue this story, or go off my other one** _ **Change**_ **, I as always give my consent. You may do as you please with it. In fact, if you want to continue from this story, I will dub it the "Queen Amethyst AU", so there, have fun.**

 **Thanks for reading, and goodbye.**

 **(To the tune of "Song of Durin (Complete Edition) - Clamavi De Profundis") It's a bit rough, I know**

 **Homeworld was young, the mountains green,**

 **No kindergarten was to be seen,**

 **No words were laid on ground or stone**

 **When White Diamond formed and walked alone.**

 **She named the nameless gems and dells;**

 **She formed the great primordial gels;**

 **She raised her head up to the sky,**

 **And saw where new gems would one day lie,**

 **As a gem upon Homeworld she tread,**

 **A thought formed deep inside her head.**

 **The Empire was fair, the buildings tall,**

 **In older days before the fall**

 **Of mighty Diamonds in Homeworld's spire**

 **Before when all seemed far less dire**

 **The Diamonds all have passed away:**

 **The world was fair in White Diamond's day.**

 **A Queen she was on carven throne**

 **In many-pillared halls of stone**

 **With ivory roof and silver floor,**

 **And Diamond sigil upon the door.**

 **The light of sun and star and moon**

 **In shining lamps of crystal hewn**

 **Undimmed by cloud or shade of night**

 **There shone forever fair and bright.**

 **There hammer on the anvil smote,**

 **There chisel clove, and graver wrote;**

 **There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;**

 **The quartzes mined, the bismuths built.**

 **There beryl, pearl, and quartzes pale,**

 **They followed in White Diamond's trail,**

 **Buckler and corslet, axe and sword,**

 **And shining spears were laid in hoard.**

 **Unwearied then was Diamond's rule;**

 **But many felt them far too cruel:**

 **The quartzes guarded, the pearls sang,**

 **And at their gates the trumpets rang.**

 **Homeworld is grey, and very old,**

 **Its forge's fires are ashen-cold;**

 **No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:**

 **The darkness dwells in the Diamonds' halls;**

 **The shadow lies upon her throne**

 **Now one rules there all quite alone.**

 **But still there is some hope for gems**

 **But who does from this hope does stem;**

 **There lies the ruler forever fair,**

 **Amethyst, White Diamond's only heir…**


End file.
